Being Human
by forevercharmed01
Summary: Furious with Cora for breaking their deal. Rumple curses Regina knowing the future will change doing so. Can the little girl who destiny no longer fits, find a place in the world with new friends, family and still have her happily ever after?
1. Rumple's Revenge

**Well this is a new story.**

**First time on this fandom so little excited but also apprehensive. Always found Cora and Regina the best characters in OUAT along with Maleficent so thought I would write my own story, so to all those die hard's out there sorry if this falls short of expectations... I have tried to watch them all to get them in cannon.**

** anyhoo hope readers like and if all goes well then there will be a second chapter... but it's completely up to you guys.**

**Happy reading. :)**

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Cora stood over the edge of the crib staring down at the wriggling new-born lying snugly wrapped in blankets. She eyed the little girl who was waving her tiny first about scrupulously, going over her little face with a fine eye looking at every little detail.

Already for a baby born just three days ago, Regina had turned out beautiful. Not that Cora expected any less of a future queen and took great pleasure in knowing that soon she would present the little girl to the kingdom in mere days… already she could imagine them fawning over her like the idiotic fools they were. She smirked and ran a finger down the soft silky cheek as the tiny babe gurgled.

Since the day of the birth she had allowed no one near her, not even Henry, though not for lack on his part as he had been eager to see his new-born daughter. The fool hopelessly standing outside the door just waiting for a chance to be allowed in… like that was going to happen. No, the man may have been royalty but he was of the weak kind, the type of royal that liked to mingle with the commoners, the peasants and the poor. Liked to help those who refused to help themselves, it made her sick.

As it was he spent most of his time down in the lower towns… going around the kingdom travelling back and forth before returning home at first she didn't mind him leaving, the less she saw of his weak self the better left her to plan her daughters future. But when he returned home one day days before the birth he had brought with him a terrible cold which he had caught from one of his outings.

She had been horrified when he sneezed in front of her and it took all her willpower not to throw him magically out the door, and back to the town he picked it up, how dare he come near her with a vile, disgusting thing such as that? Didn't he know it was bad for both her and the baby?

Well. She wasn't quite sure if the babe could be affected so close to birth but it gave her another excuse to keep him away as he had done so and all others right up until that very night. Some might have called it new Mother instinct, the need to keep their young protected… others may have called it paranoia but she didn't care what they thought. She had her reasons for keeping the little girl locked away. Regina grabbed a hold of the finger so close to her face and pulled it down a little nearer to her, Cora watched fascinated slightly at how she took comfort from the small digit. She knew she should have found it at least tender… cute in some way, but she didn't.

She felt nothing.

Just like she would continue to keep on feeling empty right up until her daughter sat on the throne of this realm… afterwards… who knew.

"Well, well. Isn't this just a touching moment"

Her finger retracted harshly from the baby making her gurgle in discomfort as Cora turned to glare at the unwelcome intruder. She faced the imp standing by the window with an emotionless mask as he watched her.

"What do you want?" He let out a small cackle and moved further into the room all the while being watched with hawk like eyes. He picked up a stuffed rabbit and held it in his hands for a moment before spinning and looking back at her.

"Is that anyway to greet an old friend?" He asked, his voice dripping with false hurt. She didn't move her eyes never wavering off his. "What. Do. You… want." The imp was silent for a few moments before putting the toy down and as quick as his arrival was, he was closer to her in a split second making her shift slightly but still never moving.

"I think you know dearie."

They stared at each other, never backing down until his eyes lowered to the crib that held the tiny girl. Cora followed his movement and finally broke her statuesque stance to take a step back.

"You can't have her" He stops in his tracks and looks to her again before letting loose another peal of shrill giggles. She glances back to the baby only to turn and find her gone from the crib, her blanket all that remains. She spins back around on hearing a little laugh and looks on at the sight of her daughter within the arms of the man she had originally promised to give her up to.

If she had a heart it would have thumped wildly in her chest as he lifts his hand and smiles as she grabs hold of it just like with Cora's she pulls it closer to her face before attempting to gum the top of his middle finger.

"Give her back." He stares widely amused at the child's antics before focusing back on her irate mother who is glaring. A small pout adorns his face as he begins to bounce the baby in his arms earning a little giggle of happiness.

"Aww, but why would I deny her this" He asks her keeping her tight to his chest. Cora's face hardened on seeing him act fatherly towards the baby, her skin chills at the sight of them so close and she does all she can not to just walk over and rip her from him… though they both know he would leave well before she could try.

"She's tired. It's past her bedtime." He giggles again and lets Regina chew his fingers again. "Now dearie you know as well as I that babies have their own schedule… and it seems this little one is far from being tired."

He continues to rock the little child in his arms all the while making Cora edgier by the second; she really needed to get her away from him before he decides to ask questions.

"So… where is the lucky father then, hmm?" He asks looking back over to her as she bristles slightly at the question. "Around… he will be coming in shortly."

Rumple tuts and shakes his head before looking back to the wide-eyed baby, and with a put upon voice speaks to her. "Now mommy, we mustn't tell lies… tell old Rumple the truth."

"If you think for one second that I lie—"

"But I do." He smirks widely, "I know for a fact that you haven't let anyone other than the nurse and yourself see the little one… not even allowing the doting dad to catch a glimpse of his only child, really Cora are you that _heartless_"

It's a dig at her; she knows it but refuses to let him get to her as she stands straight. "He's been sick; I didn't want him passing anything on to her that would be hard to fight off." The imp nods silently and glances at the babe again pursing his lips.

"Or is it the fact that dear daddy… might not be just that."

There it was. The whole reason for his visit as she moves to sit down keeping Regina on his knee, she follows him now smirking at having gotten just why he had come to her as she speaks.

"… You think she is yours?" Her tone is mocking and slow which makes him glower for a second before it's gone and he shrugs, feigning indifference. "Well, she is a very powerful little baby I can feel that from here… the only person she could have gotten that from is you, but even you didn't have this much starting off, oh no and I doubt our beloved fool out there holds anything close to what counts as magic."

"Magic is not the only thing out there… and it's not the one thing that counts" She looks at him as he waggles his finger, "Ahh! Of course… power."

"The only kind that matters" She adds as he nods. "If you say so my dear, but tell me this? Does Henry know of your little trip out all those many months ago? That adventure to the forest… fresh air and taking in the sights?" Her silence makes him laugh again as he tends to Regina once more.

"Of course he doesn't… his poor heart would be crushed, not literally of course… but my guess is he would have called off your wedding all the same."

"She isn't yours" She repeats to him cutting his speech short as he stares at her through glittering eyes before shrugging. "If you insist but it still baffles me about why you would go to all the trouble to keep him away… if you have nothing to hide"

Staring at him hard she takes her chance. Knowing that it could backfire badly but now she's had enough. With a snap of her fingers Regina is engulfed in purple smoke as she disappears from his lap and back into her arms once more. He looks down at his now empty lap and fakes shock before smiling madly at the angry woman.

"Get out." Jumping to his feet he makes a show of bowing to her and goes to the window, she watches him go never moving from her spot Regina tight to her chest. He gets to the double doors leading outside but spins on his heel once more to face them.

"You may be content to deny me our deal. But let me assure you, it will end badly." She doesn't speak just glares at him as he eyes them.

"You may have all your little hopes and dreams pinned on that porcelain cherub. But if you think for a moment any will come true… well, you mustn't have read the fine print when you agreed me what's in your arms."

Her eyes drop to the babe as the black-haired little girl plays with her hair and she looks back to him. "You don't scare me."

He laughed again and shook his head. "Oh my dear, it's not you I have to threaten…" He looks back to Regina. "It's your future"

He bows once more before turning and opening the doors. "You will regret this day Cora, mark my words dearie." He strides out but calls loud enough for her to hear.

"And your downfall will be glorious." Before he is gone leaving one normally stoic woman shaken


	2. Whilst She Was Sleeping

**Next one up.**

**Couldn't wait as I'm really looking forward to writing this story and so had the second chapter written. Thank you to those that have already followed and Favorited, hope you all like reading if it really isn't to much trouble, could I get a little feedback... maybe a few comment's just to see how people are enjoying it... or hell if their not. **

**If so then what would you like to see, I have an outline planned which is a completely different from cannon so that will be changed, but if you'd like to read something or think something needs changing than by all means please tell me. **

**Enjoy. **

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That night and with the words of Rumple still fresh in her mind Cora's paranoia grew to the point of overwhelming. Every maid that came through the door she would watch like a dog with a bone. Every movement scrutinized, trying to determine if anything funny about them she could spot, if they were looking around for weak points in the room or more importantly, at the baby herself.

It unnerved the servants so much that they took to avoiding the wing for as long as humanly possible unless directly ordered to go by the lady or the lord themselves. She sat in her chair at the side keeping her attention firmly on Regina and then to the window before cursing the imp who had her so unsettled. How she longed to just rip his heart out and crush in front of him.

Of course it wasn't always like that. She had loved him once. He had saved her, taught her everything, and made her life more than what it had been. For that she would always be grateful but it wasn't enough as her now heartless body proved. She suspected she would have been happy with him. Would have made a good life with him at her side like he wanted, but each time she tried to picture it the image of princess Eva crept up, and the way she had tripped her before forcing her to apologize.

It boiled her blood and that above all, had won out over love. The need for revenge the desire to see Princess Eva at her mercy became so strong that she outright brushed him off when the night they supposed to run away came.

After a last night of passion of course

This therein laid the problem it had presented. After their last illicit encounter and they had parted ways, she had begun to feel sick. Each morning would be the same; she would wake and have the urge to throw up, it became like that with each meal and it wasn't long until it dawned on her that she was pregnant.

To her utter distress. It wasn't with Henry.

The prince had been out with his father on diplomatic travels and had barely been home returning one or two nights before leaving again. He wasn't due back for another two days and she was already showing symptoms which the help was starting to see.

This child was Rumples.

Panicking she had thought straight away of getting rid of it cut everything that associated with the imp out of her life completely, but realized that over half the castle had seen her either rushing from the room that contained food, or touching her stomach. They would be bound to tell the prince once he got back out of congratulating him and she couldn't very well do away with an entire castle's worth of staff, Henry might have been unobservant sometimes but he would notice that.

Pacing her room she nearly brought herself to the point of madness trying to work out what to do until it came to her, Henry had left the day before she was to run off with Rumple. They hadn't married yet and it wasn't like he couldn't find himself a new bride… he wasn't pure he had bedded tons of women so it wasn't a case of saving themselves for marriage either, she could claim that she had conceived the baby the night he had left as they hadn't wasted the night they had together.

No one knew about Rumpelstiltskin. No one apart from her had ever seen him come and go from the castle. She could say that this baby was her husbands and no one would be any the wiser. That was her plan and that was what she had stuck with when her husband finally got back and so told him the good news, h was so happy that the king had ordered a feast in celebration of the future arrival.

The good king knew about the imp, he had surprised her with that bit of knowledge. It was the he in fact that had changed her mind all together. She stuck by her prince whom she had no feelings what so ever for and gained the power and status that she had craved ever since Eva had looked down at her and smirked.

She hadn't seen nor heard anything from her old lover when the pregnancy was announced. And not even when she was born… until tonight, and he knew, he knew the moment he held her that the little girl was his. She was stupid to try deny it but deny she did and was adamant that he wasn't getting her even with the slight change in deal. If he didn't like it than she really could care less, but either way Regina was hers.

That saying she had incurred his anger. By blowing him off and breaking the bargain they had, she had broken an important contract… if there was one thing Rumple hated more than being called a coward it was when people broke his contracts. It wouldn't be that last she saw of the glittery skinned man of that she had no doubt. He may have taught her all she knew, may have been stronger magically, but if there was one thing he wasn't ever getting, was the girl who would become the queen.

She would make sure of that.

Which was why she had the nanny bring Regina to her, normally she would have her own room. The nursery away from her bed chambers, she couldn't stand the crying. But with the tricky imp floating around she wasn't taking any chances and so had the little baby brought to her room and placed in the crib next to her bed. She saw the look the nanny gave them and before the other woman could even raise a question – a single arched brow in her direction sent her scurrying out the door.

It wasn't like it was going to be an everyday occurrence. Regina wasn't staying with her every night – just until she could be sure that the threat of Rumple passed than she would send her back to her own room as she started her nightly ritual on preparing for bed. She sat at her vanity and glanced at the gurgling baby as she brushed her hair the door soon opened and she looked over to see Henry make his way in.

They didn't share a room but since she had been visited by the unwelcome guest. She had sent word to him that she would allow him to see the baby and watched as he smiled at her before moving to the crib where his child lay, bending over smiling like the idiot that he was. She rolled her eyes when he laughed a little at the happy sounds the small tot made before glancing over to his wife.

He wasn't looking at her on a whole but more asking a question which she could see in his eyes and so nodded her silent agreement. His grin widened as he bent lower as soon his arms were full of a wriggling baby as he held her to his chest. Still watching them she saw the way he interacted lovingly with the child, whispering to her and pressing kisses to her head further more baffling the older woman.

He wasn't like other royals, that she could tell the moment she saw him. From the first glance she knew that he didn't care for power of the title of prince. He was a man who liked to help, liked to be able to make a difference to the kingdom he lived in and soon rule. He didn't care for fancy balls or the other royals who visited, he was a simple man… furthermore he didn't even seem to care that his child was a girl and not a boy that every other royal in the kingdom, seemed to crave.

He was peculiar, and if he wasn't so vital to her plan… or the only one who was unmarried at the time. She would have scorned him for being weak. He bounced the now wide awake baby up and down a bit before blowing a small raspberry making her laugh.

And to think this man might one day be king.

"I'll be retiring to bed soon." He looked up and gave her a small nod. His smile fading slightly as he bent back to focus on the little girl, she really did seem to make him so happy that she almost felt guilty for deceiving him so, but it wasn't like he was ever going to find out Regina wasn't his… no one was. So really his happiness wasn't at stake so whatever... discomfort, she had went away.

She gave them a few more minutes before deciding he had been in her room long enough. She stood up which seem to bring his attention back to her and moved closer to them as he gave her a look that she knew was one of resignation and held back a smirk as he gave the raven haired baby one last lingering kiss before placing her back in her crib.

"Have the arrangement's been made for the announcement?" She asked as he stood back up straight and nodded. Though she was mainly in charge of the whole upcoming event she had allowed him to be the one to send the invitation's yet another weird thing she found about him but didn't have time to explore further; she returned the nod silently both of acknowledgement and that she wanted him to go, he moved away reluctantly from the crib but not before glancing down one last time at the baby.

He moved to give her a kiss which she allowed as his lips pressed against her cheek. Once they parted he gave her a hesitant smile before bidding her goodnight and leaving the room. She waited until he had closed the door before wiping her hand over the spot he had kissed and made her way to the bed, she stopped to pick up the stuffed rabbit that had been left on the chair before placing it next to the baby in a rare showing of affection before sliding under the covers, she glanced at the baby who was slowly falling back to sleep now the excitement was gone before laying down and blowing out the light.

She had placed a few wards around the room and one near the double doors as precaution. She would wait a few days before re-doing them as she had a feeling he would make another visit sometime during the week. Feeling slightly content she closed her eyes and listened to the snuffles coming from the side of her as she drifted off to sleep feeling suddenly a lot more tired than what she had first thought.

So tired in fact, she didn't hear the sound of the catch on the double doors lift up a few hours later as they gently blew open despite there being no wind and a few seconds later, Rumpelstiltskin appeared. He looked to the bed to see the heavily sleeping woman and grinned, she should have known better than to try to keep him out. Not when he knew all her tricks.

He wasted no time and made his way over to the crib where the sleeping baby lay. He peered into the basket to see the small girl clutching the rabbit he had imbibed with a sleeping spell the night before. Knowing Cora like he did she would have cursed the king in full few of the court in daylight if she thought it would keep him away and so had to take measures to ensure that she wouldn't interfere.

His dark beady eyes gazed over the small face intently. She sniffled a little and scrunched her nose a bit making the slightest of smiles reach his face. Something that hadn't been malicious or full of glee ever since becoming the dark one… but a real, honest genuine one like he had before with his family.

He knew that this little girl also was his family, which is why he felt something akin to guilt given what he was about to do. But this was a must. Not only to teach the oblivious woman lying next to him that he was not one to be messed with but also… in some way, he was giving her the chance to be free.

Free from the older woman that he once loved. Free from what she had become. Free from the misery that sure was to follow and the lost childhood she was sure to endure if she stayed with Cora; the woman would be relentless in her drive for power. And the fact that the baby was in all a princess, she would do her utmost to get as high in the ranks as she could, using her daughter as a tool to exploit.

She wouldn't care that it could potentially break her. She wouldn't care about what scars it would leave. As long as she got what she wanted out of her life plan than everything else was disposable… even her own blood eventually.

Nothing less than perfection was what she was after, and so if he made it that her precious Regina was anything but that it would put one hell of a stop in her plans. He was counting on her superficial nature and all round shallowness to ensure that little girl grew up relatively happy. He would have taken her with him but she knew where he lived and would have had no problem sending the army's forces after him to get her back.

Plus he wasn't in any fit state to look after a child. He was the dark one… those that knew of him came to soon hate him and so any life she would have had would have been a dangerous one… something she would have already had living here and he wasn't going to put that on her shoulders. No, it had to be this it was the only way, giving how little she cared for life around her and what he already knew about her past he was sure that once she found out that she was too late to stop him from enacting his threat. She would do anything to prevent it from getting out that something was wrong with the royal baby.

She wouldn't dare put Regina in the spotlight after tonight.

A loud snuffling had him looking down again to see her fidget slightly before stilling and so brushed aside his thoughts for the moment as he set about to perform his curse. He wasn't going to go as far as so she would become a hideous beast… something physically horrifying to look at she was after all, his blood to. He may be cursing her but he wasn't set trying to ruin her life any more than he would have after this night.

The curse would be there alright. Cora would come to see it eventually, it may be in small increments… but she would see that he was true to his word. He pulled a small bottle from the inside of his jacket, this would start the first half of the curse as he opened the dark vial and swirled the deep red liquid inside. He peered at the sleeping baby whose mouth was a little open and with gentle drops, as to not choke her, he poured a tiny bit of the content's down her throat stopping each time he thought her about to cough until eventually, she had consumed half the bottle as some of the viscous liquid trickled down her mouth.

He waved what was left of the bottle away before pulling out a second more smaller object. He lifted the small stone up to the moonlight to see it glow slightly, he had gone a long way to procure this which, when the time came for Cora to discover the truth... she would know just how serious he really was.

He placed it on her little chest and waved his hand over the stone which split down the middle as a dark green gas seeped from the crack and lifted, coming to form a small cloud before it moved downwards to its new home which was the tiny girl. He watched as the entity made it's way in to her body, fully absorbing into her chest leaving the once glowing stone now empty.

He removed the object from her chest before finishing the last part of the curse, which was to add his own magic to ensure that the witch couldn't possibly remove the curse... not that she could anyway, it wasn't like she would know what he had used and he wasn't about to tell, so gathering his magic. He pooled it all so that it bubbled just underneath the surface of his reptilian skin before letting it loose. A small black and slightly purple cloud erupted from his body and washed over the small sleeping child, who lay sleeping and not knowing that her life had, from that point on… changed forever.

Once the mist had settled and absorbed inside its new home of the tiny vessel. He watched her once more closely; she really was a cute little thing. He just hoped that his actions would lead her to living a somewhat normal life without the proverbial chain around her throat. And if he had planned it to the exact detail, than hopefully where she would end up would be far more beneficial to her life than her current home would ever be.

Bending slightly, he mimicked the older woman's actions the night before and slowly trailed his finger down her little cheek. It may be years before he saw her again… by which she would never know he was the one to have cursed her... unless she was smart and figured it out, or was her father, and he had to re-work his entire plan but he hoped he had given her what Cora never would.

A life

She may not see it yet. But she would come to realize just how lucky she was to have escaped the woman, who birthed her...

the curse wasn't complete. A spell of that magnitude was something that never was... even for him and so would take a few more days to fully take hold and knowing that he couldn't come back every night to recast it, searched for an alternative mean's of ensuring it would. Eventually he came across her beloved toy horse that she seemed to favor more than the rabbit and picked it up.

He sunk his magic and the spell into the woven fabric of the toy saturating it with the curse. He also did the same to the rabbit and a few other items that the baby might be in contact with. As long as she was holding or near these things then the curse would be allowed to fully fester until it had done its task, the best part being the Cora would never know.

Pulling back he decided it was time to go. The sleeping spell may have been set for the night but he didn't fancy sticking around, he had things to do and new plans to make. So quickly turning and moving silently back to the window he glanced once more at the two across the room. He was smug in his victory over the bitter woman but just like her, got it at the expense of his daughter.

He disappeared on that thought. The doors slowly shutting and locking themselves once more with the room showing no sign of it having had any visitor other than the prince.

The next day at first morning light Cora roused from her sleep. She blinked a few times before becoming coherent once more and sat up quickly her attention going immediately to the crib, her heartless chest returning to normalcy once more at seeing the raven curls peaking from the blanket as Regina slept on, it seemed her wards had worked and so she slid from under the covers and over to where her sleeping child lay.

She picked her up ignoring unhappy noise made by the baby on being woken and held her close to her chest. She moved to the window staring out over the kingdom idly rocking her side to side. She had kept her safe this night but it was only a matter of time before he got through her wards, he was the strongest magic user she knew and so even for all her own prowess, it all came from him.

If she wanted to keep him at bay than she would have to come up with a new plan just as a knock at the door had her turning before shouting. The door opened the reveal the nanny who had arrived to take the baby as she got ready for the day; Cora nodded her forwards and held Regina out to be taken as the other woman gently relieved her of the sturdy baby.

Her task done for the night she waved them both away with her watching as the nanny took Regina away and far from her for the day as she turned around to get changed. Just a few more days of this before the announcing ceremony and Rumple would be as good as gone… she had to scoff at the imps parting words.

He couldn't do anything. He may have been feared by a lot of people but she wasn't one of them. He had loved her, she was pretty sure deep down he still did, and as he did guess right about the baby, she was certain that he would never bring himself to do any harm to her.

He was a lot of things but when it came to children, especially his own. He might as well have stayed a coward. Empty words that's all they were to try to scare her, but it didn't matter. She fixed her dress and sat at her mirror as she picked up her brush. Soon he would be gone from their lives, Regina would flourish and when the time was right. Become strongest queen Cora would make her.

And there was nothing Rumple could do to stop that.

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**Hope everyone liked. Until the next chapter :)**


	3. Rumple's Deliverance

**New chapter up,**

**Would like to thank all that have faved, followed and commented on this and hope everyone likes this in return. And as ever, I would always love to hear what people think of this and any and all comment's do go a long way into helping. **

**As always I don't own OUAT and never will**

**Happy reading. :)**

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The first signs of Cora noticing anything off with Regina were when she had the baby with her when she went out. The day was sunny and she felt like talking a walk and so had instructed the maid to ready the little tot as they made their way out from the chambers and out into the palace gardens. Henry was out again and so it left her with an entire day in which she could plan on how to find out if her new batch of potions had worked.

She would have to see if there was a passing maid nearby.

She glanced down at her feet to the baby that was resting on a small pillow. The nanny had said it would do her good and she didn't want the child covered in dirt so had nodded her for to place the girl on the soft cushion before shooing her away, she watched as the raven haired girl reached for a small toy that had lain at the side of her, for a baby of little over a week old, she was already curious about the things around her and so Cora slightly feared that inquisitive nature when she was able to walk.

She would have to double lock her brewing dungeon.

A small giggle had her looking back down again on coming out of her musings to see her holding something in her hand; she bent slightly to find it was her rattle and was about to get back to her work thinking nothing more of it but stopped on seeing small parts of the tiny instrument break in her fist.

Cora watched in silence as Regina flung the rattle within her tiny fist delighting in how it crumbled under her clenched hand. The older woman looked on her confusion growing with each second as finally Regina used up all her strength to throw away the now broken toy.

The older woman looked on as it left her hand and landed a few feet away from her and her eyes widened uncharacteristically on seeing the solid silver item, now bent and twisted lying uselessly on the grass. Her eyes took in the mangled pile of metal as another small peal of giggles had her dragging her gaze away and back to the girl who had caused the damage as she lay back on the pillow looking around.

She stared wordlessly at the tiny tot her speech failing her as she tried to take in what had just occurred. Finally she looked back to the defunct rattle and picked it up, normally she wouldn't dare touch anything from the floor but this she had to, as she inspected the small rattle.

The entire handle had been bent. She took in the small indents were the little girl had been holding it and could see tiny finger marks were her grip had tightened. The little ball at the top had been completely crushed in, nothing remained but half that hadn't been caved in as she let the toy fall back to the floor. Her confusion giving way to slight panic which, giving she hadn't a heart to feel such an emotion was something to worry about.

She sat back in her seat. She had overheard the senior nanny talking to a few of the younger staff who either had children or their family had and heard them talking about the babies… she had vaguely heard in passing that new-born's did have an extraordinarily strong grip and so on looking back down to the oblivious baby, she didn't know whether to put it down to that… or.

Her mind immediately went to the second more terrifying prospect and on letting her mind wander slightly. Her mood soured and she found she no longer wanted to be outside in the garden. So abandoning her work she hauled Regina from her blissful chewing of the pillow and hurried back into the castle. She ignored everyone she passed on her way back to her chambers as she flicked her hand at the shut door pushing it open before slamming it shut behind her once she was in.

She placed Regina on her bed and took a step back now fully staring at the small tot on the bed who seemed to have taken the sudden change in surroundings in her stride and was once more looking around the room. She didn't notice her Mother who was standing in front of her, and who was now looking at her like she was some kind of strange animal that no one had seen before, and so didn't know whether to approach or not.

Her mind was working overtime. Her magic was pulsing. She tried to feel for foreign magic as she let her own wash over the small child but couldn't sense nothing apart from hers and the familiar one that was Regina's mixed with a slight tinge of her own. She frowned and pulled back before continuing her observation of the dark-haired baby. Nothing seemed out of place but with Rumple one could never tell, that was what made him so tricky to deal with and almost impossible to refuse.

It was another five minutes before she decided that she was being ridiculous. After passing the girl another toy and waiting, it was clear that her fears had been nothing when Regina didn't destroy the second toy, happy to have been given something else the tiny baby merely fell back and fumbled with the tiny toy horse leaving Cora with a great sense of relief. She inwardly scoffed at her own irrational moment of thought before deciding once and for all that nothing was wrong with Regina.

Rumple hadn't got her and that he never would. But she stood nonetheless and moved back over to her bed where Regina was kicking her little feet up and waved her hand over her, it was better to be safe than sorry in her mind and so waited for her protection ward to cast over the little girl as her magic washed over before settling down again.

Regina chose that moment to let out an ear-piercing wail causing Cora to step back. Her nose pulled up in distaste as the small baby kept up her wails. Why, she did not know it was as if her magic had suddenly harmed her, caused her pain which resulted in an eye roll from the older woman. Stupid baby, if she wanted to hurt her she would have cast something a lot more potent than a protection ward and so leaving her to cry on the bed, she made her way to the window and repeated the spell.

Satisfied with her work she returned to her bed with Regina still crying. She stood above the wailing tot and sneered. What was wrong with her? She was acting as if she had been burned or something. The baby's face was pinched and her lungs working powerfully as she screamed and cried. Cora shook her head and went to call for the nanny to come take her away as she was getting the beginnings of a migraine unbeknownst to her that due to the curse that had already halfway taken over, her protection spell that had been recast was working to fight the second spell as the two magic's mixed, pulling at the tiny child's own causing her to cry in pain

A knock on the door five minutes later had the older woman sighing as she called them to enter, the arrival of the nanny who had turned to the lady of the castle who nodded in the direction of the screaming baby's direction.

"Take her away, I have work to do and she's ruining my focus" The older woman silently nodded and made for the small child, Cora watching her interaction's as the older woman gently scooped the teary eyed baby before bowing to Cora and taking her leave. She was about to go through the door when Cora called her back.

"Wait!"

Stopping, she turned and gazed at the other woman silently waiting for her to speak. Cora moved across to the crib and picked up the horse that Regina loved she passed it to the older woman to take as she did so slowly.

"Might make her sleep better, seems to be fond of the silly thing." She shrugged before dismissing them again this time letting them leave uninterrupted as the door shut leaving her in silence. She closed her eyes allowing the peace to wash over her before returning to her desk and journal, never realizing that she had just helped Rumples cures further along its path.

She doesn't see the baby again properly until the next day. Only once more when she passed her room going to the dining hall, having instructed the nanny to take her back to her own room for the night … she had stopped crying but Cora didn't fancy taking the chance she might do again and cause her to lose sleep and so she waves off the other woman who asks if she would like her to return her to her crib.

Her thoughts about the tricky imp completely fallen from her mind on the return of her husband who she greets more out of propriety than actual want. He smiles at her earning a mild gesture in return as he looks around for any sign of the baby.

"Where's Regina?" She shakes her head a little before replying.

"She fell tired from the fresh air on our walk in the gardens so I had the nanny place her in her room for a sleep." Henry nods slowly, a silent questioning look on his face one which must have been easily read as she carried on.

"I thought the peace might help her to sleep more and so told the nanny to take her back to her room for tonight." Her explanation must have had the desired effect as his smile widens and he nods happily before asking if she would like to dine with him she accepts his offer much to his surprise as she normally would stay in her room as he escorts her to the hall on the other side of the room.

With the build up to the oncoming ceremony, and with so much to do, Cora didn't think anything else of the incident as she hastily made plans – ordering people around, everything so that the event went off without a problem, all the while never knowing that the curse was nearing its completion.

Regina meanwhile having been left in the care of the minders and other help Cora had hired to look after her, slowly, had started to show more signs of the curses effects. Each time one of the minders would put her down for a nap, would return a few hours later only to find the blanket they had wrapped her up in shredded, with little scratches and tears ripped into the sheets.

Each time it confused the minders but would replace it with a new sheet only to find that to, had been torn. It baffled them, and as they didn't think a small baby could be responsible for such damage to her bedding, they didn't know what to do. They dared go near Cora and tell her out of fear she retaliated about the level they kept her child's care at. It hadn't gone unnoticed that the lady of the castle didn't enjoy spending time with her child, most times not even being in the same vicinity, but she did however make sure she had the best of everything.

Whether that was her way of affection or simply because she could order it they didn't know. But either way they didn't let her know and so just kept replacing them. Next was the shrieks, each time Regina screamed out – either in discomfort or another reason. The nurses, nannies or simply people passing by, had to cover their ears as the tiny girls screams soon turned shrill, to shrill for a normal child and it showed when the senior nanny went to open the window only to find it cracked right down the middle right after Regina's latest tantrum.

Soon the whispers started among the staff of the castle. They muttered lowly to each other about the little girl, and how she didn't seem quite right. Most, if not a fair majority of the help knew that their lady had magic, it was that which had them fearing of her as she wasn't averse to letting them know just exactly what awaited them should they fail in their duties… they didn't have to be magical to sense the power coming off her in waves and so it was by that they all did their very best to ensure both their lady and prince were happy.

But what did say about Regina?

It stood to reason that having a magical parent. That any offspring they had would to share some sort of magical talent… like a gene, it was hereditary. Whether they would be good at it they couldn't say as they really didn't know all that much about magic… only that those who had it were powerful. But even if the little baby had inherited those genes did that mean that all magical babies acted this way?

Did they all scream until windows cracked… did they tear their bedding like some had come to suspect she had given the news about the almost inhuman shrieks… and did all babies manage to bend solid silver when in their grasp? That was the latest and possibly the last thing that broke the proverbial Camel's back so to speak. The maid that had been instructed to feed the little child all but ran from the room on letting go of the spoon for a few seconds, only to find it in the hands of the tiny tot who laughed as she bent it as easily as if it was made of nothing but hard clay.

That was when Cora became aware once more. On hearing about how the young maid had fled the room in fear, she were enraged that Regina had been left on her own. And so on tracking down the terrified girl, she punished her to all but an inch of her life before managing to get her to speak above the sobs and the stammers, she listened as the young girl told her about how she placed the spoon she was using to feed the baby with down whilst she got a cloth only to see that Regina had gotten a hold of it and twisted it like it was nothing.

The information suddenly brought back the incident from days ago to her mind. How she had broken her rattle. To say it had her worrying was putting it lightly, and so once she had sweetly persuaded the naïve girl into calming down. She flicked her wrist and watched her crumble to the ground before leaving her body where she had found her in the ally.

Making her way back to the castle and through its halls it was then she came to learn about the other incident regarding her child. Stopping she hunk in the shadows and listened to one of the washers chatting to one or two of the new recruits that had come to fill in for the servant she had gotten rid of the month before… how it had taken this long to replace him she didn't know but didn't care as she leaned in closer.

Once more her fears came back to her. This time hitting like a riptide, like her chest was… as it was, an empty cavern that had just been smashed in and the pieces had been swallowed up by the darkness… she felt all of that and she didn't even have a heart.

She listened to them talk of how the little baby would scream – only it wasn't really screaming, more of an ear-splitting cry that sounded more creature than human… sounds that only a trapped beast would make. It was enough to crack the windows at any rate and she heard them wondering if their prince knew.

Quickly turning, she fled the hall and ignoring her lady like status – nearly ran to the nursery where Regina occupied and burst through the door ignoring the startled gasps and looks that the maids and nanny were giving her. She moved closer to the small girl who looked over to the new addition to the room and gave her a gummy smile.

Still not taking notice of the other woman she picked the little child up, Regina looked at her Mother before smiling again as Cora turned and left the room. She moved back through the halls with the others on the hall jumping out of her way she was going that fast until at last she came to her chambers, she locked the door behind her and moved to place the baby on the bed, not noticing the little rips to her dress on pulling the baby from her shoulder as she placed her down.

She back away again and repeating what she had done the first time around, she watched the raven haired baby with her sharp eyes. She was waiting for a sign… for anything that could prove her ever-increasing fears weren't true… that Rumple hadn't gotten to Regina like he promised, like he hadn't done something to her that she couldn't be able to undo.

She waited. She waited for what seemed like hours just sitting and watching the little child across from her. On the surface it seemed Regina was fine. Nothing to suggest anything was wrong, no weird features or something hideous that would ruin her plans… but it wasn't the external part of her she were worried about.

The servants had all been whispering about her crying. Her screams of unhappiness or when babies just tended to scream. They said it was almost inhuman… like a creature… but what could that mean?

As much as she would have liked to, she couldn't attest to it being a cold, nor anything along the lines she could claim her being sick as she made sure personally Regina never did, it wouldn't do for a royal baby to be struck down with something as trivial as a bout of flu and so always made sure she was well on that front. It was starting to annoy her that she couldn't figure it out.

She spent the rest of the night locked in her room with her daughter, never picking her up just standing across from her, sometimes pacing other times cursing. She had read what books she had on animals… magical ones to as she scoured the pages trying to find anything that might tell her just what made window cracking screams. She exhausted every book she owned which on animals, was not many before throwing them away in a fit of rage.

It was nearing close to midnight and she looked over to see the baby fast asleep. She had slumped down on the cover and was now snuffling away which prompted Cora to retire to sleep herself. She had no luck this night but she would not be resting until she found out what was wrong with Regina as she moved and picked the sleeping baby up from her bed, and depositing her down in her crib and covering her up.

In an act unlike her, for the second time that night, she forewent her nightly ritual. She waved her hand over her body as her dress vanished in a plume of purple smoke as her nightgown had taken its place. She reached up and undid her elaborate hairstyle groaning a little as the tension went on releasing her hair from its confines and made her way over to her bed.

Sometime during the night Cora woke once more. She didn't know what had roused her from her seemingly undisturbed sleep, but something had, looking around she narrowed her eyes at the empty chamber. She felt oddly flustered, like something was pressing on her body and it had her fidgeting slightly, she didn't like what she didn't know and so threw back her covers.

She stood and took another look around her room. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Everything was where it should be and yet she still felt… out of sorts… like she could feel something was there but she couldn't see what. A small noise from behind her made her turn to find that Regina to had woken. She watched as the small baby fussed about a bit under quilt before using her feet to kick it off.

She wriggled about a little before succeeding in turning over and was now squirming on her side. Her little leg flailing as she made a move to grab at her stuffed horse she loved so much. Ignoring the unsettling feeling for a moment Cora moved to the crib, it would do no good for Regina to start crying if she couldn't reach it and if what the staff had said was true, than she was dreading to hear it for herself.

She reached in and picked the toy from where it sat as Regina grabbed at the empty space. Small whimpers erupted from her tiny mouth as she struggled now on her stomach from where she had rolled over. The older woman waited a moment watching her struggle as the whimpers soon turned to grunts of effort which then led to them getting a little louder.

She bent back down before the cries could get any higher and grasped hold of the baby's sides, turning her so she was facing the right way and almost stumbled back in shock. A un-Cora like gasp falling from her lips as she dropped the horse as it landed on the little girl who grabbed it squealing in delight before pulling it to her, Cora licked her dry lips and very carefully forced her feet to move back so she was standing above the tiny cot.

She held back another gasp as she stared into the eyes of the little girl who was shaking the toy in her hands, oblivious to what was happening around her, but it was painfully clear to Cora,

She had been too late.

"Like the new look, Dearie."

She spun around at the sound of the new voice and looked in the direction it had come from as her anger instantly rose at the sight of the imp sitting calmly in her chair by the window, his legs crossed calmly as he smiled at her.

"What have you done?"

His face changed from gleeful to feigned ignorance. He frowned before throwing out his arms in a questioning manner before shrugging. "Have no idea what you mean"

"DO NOT… mess with me Rumple" She glared at the glittery man across from her as his mocking demeanour slid slightly at her tone. "Change her back… now."

He slowly stood from his place and made his way forwards a bit as she stood up straighter. Her eyes never leaving his own, loathing met mirth as he smiled again in spite of his own growing annoyance.

"As much as I would love to help you out dear, I first have to know what it is I have done." His eyes flickered down to her hand which twitched a little making him smile again as his eyes went back to her own.

"…Whatever it is, you have to undo" He slowed to a stop at looked at one of the books she had read. "Animals of the enchanted forest? Never had you down as a naturist… unless you're destroying it that is," He giggled at his little joke as her jaw clenched.

"How"

To this he looked up from his exploration of her desk. His brow creased slightly at the sudden turnabout from her initial anger, before realizing what she meant and his cheerful manner returned.

"My dear Cora. Did you really think a few protection spells would stop me? Your powerful yes, but do not forget it was I who brought it out of you… you could no more keep me out than you could the wind."

"So you cursed her… to what? To make her life a misery?" He shook his head at that. "No dearie, I did it to teach you a lesson."

He put down the little glass bottle before facing her again. "I'm sorry that it had to cause her such grievances but don't forget, if you hadn't of tried to cheat me she would have been mine anyway… far worse things than a curse to be had."

Whilst that was true he didn't necessarily mean that he would do that to her. Truth was he had no idea what he would have done should she have kept to the deal, on learning she was his child his plans for what he did have in mind went out the window… there was no way he would have subjected her to any of that.

"So you would willingly ruin a child's life… just to get back at me?" He was silent for a moment before shrugging. "Like I said collateral… sad but nonetheless true. I don't take kindly to people who try to double cross me… when people think of this then they will know better."

Unbridled rage coursed through her body. She stood across from him her hands shaking from her rage. A small giggle had Rumple turning to look behind her as his eyes laid on the baby that had managed to lift herself up and was now looking at him. He saw her eyes and his smirk grew twisted, a childlike laugh of his own filling the room as Regina mimicked him.

"I think this look suits her far better." Cora took a step back so she was next to the baby, her eyes never leaving him as she wasn't as stupid as to turn away and glanced down at the small dark-haired babe who was clutching her toy, her eyes glowing bright gold in the darkness of the room – her pupils narrowed until they were diagonal and barely slits. It made her shudder with disgust.

"Is that a hint of revulsion I detect? Come now, surely you can't be ashamed of your child…" Her gaze snapped back to him and on seeing his knowing smirk it had her anger ebbing over and she threw a fireball at him.

Of course it never hit as he dissolved it with a wave of his hand before he vanished in a puff of smoke and reappearing back in front of her, she found herself pushed up against the wall, his hands tired around her forearms as Regina cried out in alarm.

"I would recommend you not to try that again"

She glared at him in spite of the situation. It was a good thing she no longer had her heart for it would be hammering in her chest as he glanced down to where Regina was looking at them.

"You were right you know."

His attention turned back to the woman in front of him as she was watching his actions. "Right?"

"About her being yours… your right." He didn't respond, clearly she was banking on him to undo his work at her admittance. Having known about his son before his time as the dark one she knew that he was the love of his world along with his wife.

But that was a long time ago.

He may have had another kid now. One that he did feel for, maybe not as much as he would have liked given she was all he had shared DNA with within the realm… but he was human back when Bea was around, now his darkness clouded over his capacity for much else.

"And that makes me what?" He asked finally looking at her; he saw a flicker of confusion in her eye and inwardly smiled at his plan having gone like he wanted. "You think just because she is my child I will remove the curse." He laughed at her silence and moved away.

"Oh you really do amuse me… long time since I laughed like that." His condescending tone had her anger spiking again but she knew it would be futile to try to attack him again. He may have warned her this time but the next….

"So what you're going to leave her like this" She threw out her hand to the little girl whose eyes still hadn't changed back. It seemed they lit up the most when she was showing highs amounts of emotion. Rumple looked back to her and shrugged,

"I don't see the problem" His indifferent tone had her furious and with all the calmness she could muster, spoke. "I can't have a child who… who"

"What? Dear? Looks like that" She nodded sharply.

"Exactly"

"The problem is not the child, it's you." She turned to look at him. "You caused this…"

"Do you think for a second that I would embarrass myself with… with this? This is all you Rumple now take it off."

For the first time in a long time did he truly feel like he wanted to hurt this woman, before he wouldn't have bothered with her… after their last night he chose to stick to his deals and contracts, but now… now that she was calling his child something less than what she was. It made his skin tingle with hate. If he wasn't so determined to teach her how wrong she had been to try to cross him. He would have taken the curse off her.

As it was it was a tricky curse he enacted, and very hard to remove and so wasn't going to try to waste his energy on something he had no intentions of removing.

"Can't"

She blinked stupidly for a moment as his one word answer had her stunned, "What?"

"I said I can't remove it… it was one of my more complex curses and as it was the ingredient's used where rather… arduous to come by." She stared at him in livid silence before changing tactic.

"Fine… if you won't then I will." She sneered at his standing form. "Always knew you were weak when it came to your children Rumple. First with your Son and now with Regina… and here I was thinking _I _was the heartless one"

He clenched his first at his side. It would do no good to kill her now much as he wants to, it would be easy but he wants to see her lifelong plans fall around her and so with a deep breath. He ignores her so clear taunt and opens his eyes again.

"Feel free to try… but I assure you that you will fail." He picked up the last book on magical creatures she had and idly flipped through it and smirking when he found not a page regarding the truth and threw it back on the desk.

"But all you will achieve is failure and most likely an upset baby." He glanced back over to her to still see her wide reptilian like eyes observing them and tutted.

"Have you heard her cry yet? Such a loud noise… though from what I've seen you haven't been a very attentive mummy have you? Servants have heard… servants have started talking."

"You've been watching" She questioned incredulously on realizing what he had said as he lifted his hand to his mouth and responded to her statement with a fake look of guilt.

"But of course… you didn't think I was going to miss you discovering the truth did you? The look on your face… almost enough to make me forget for a moment that you tried to cheat me"

"You will undo this or-"

"Or what… Cora" He said turning back to look at her, his face no longer jesting. "You can do nothing against me and as I said try all you like but you will never be able to break that curse… no one can"

She stayed silent at that. Her mind furiously working on what choices she had. She was counting on his love for his children to be the key to getting him to comply, if he was right about the curse – which he usually was. Then she had no chance of reversing it by herself and she wasn't about to exert her energy to try. But what could she do? If she couldn't return Regina to her normal state then that was it for her plans.

There was no way she could reach what had been her overall goal with a child who… well she still didn't know what the hell was wrong with her, but if inhuman screeching and strength enough to bend metal were factors, she really didn't want to know what came next.

She really didn't have a lot of choices. If she couldn't hide this then it would continue until finally… like she said, she really didn't want to know.

She closed her eyes picturing the shame. The idea of her perfect future queen being… unnatural, she could almost see the faces of the other royals from the different kingdoms. Scorning and mocking them.

The freak of a princess

It wouldn't just be her they would ridicule. They would also blame her, Henry knew of her magic and if it got out and the rest found out they would think her being the reason for Regina's condition.

That was something she couldn't have.

Rumple had been watching her and how her face changed from anger, to pondering, to realization and then finally his most favorite one of all – fear.

"Not a lot you can do is there dearie" He said breaking her out of her thoughts. She looked over to his knowing smile and snarled, she couldn't kill him… but she would get even.

"I think the answer will come to you soon. Just have to wait for it…. in that time you can decide on what to do." He turned and made his way back to the window his deed done for the night and his expectations more than filled at seeing the bitter woman start her descent downhill.

"But I think we both know what your _only _choice will be." He finished his visit with once last meaningful glance at the shallow woman near the crib who lifted her eyes to meet his and with one final surge of anger she threw another fireball at him but missed as it hit the wall casing Regina to start crying as the imp laughed his way out of her chamber, leaving both woman and child alone.

Cora stands in the middle her chest heaving with the heavy breaths she is trying hard to calm her raging anger that is fueling her body. Her thoughts are too clouded to rationalize properly and the startled cries are proving to be no help. She turns her head to look at the upset baby who is flailing and for the first time since she heard the rumors, the beginnings of the bone chilling shrieks that soon accompany her.

Still staring at the crying baby, Cora is silent but even with her muddled head and anger driven body, one thought above all pushes its way through and sits firmly at the top.

Rumple was right.

There really only was one choice she could make.


	4. A New path Is Forged

**New chapter up,**

**Big thank you to those that commented, they all do help. Hope this is an offering due to the slight lateness in posting, work just got crazy had I have had no energy to write anything so all my other stories have gone begging for an update as well.**

**As before any and all comments do go a long way so if possible and of course... not ransoming the story, on your own admission. If yu could, spare a few seconds to tell me what you thought of it and I should have the next chapter, hopefully, up sooner then this.**

**Happy reading. :)**

* * *

It took Cora just two days to come to her decision. Since Rumple had come and basically gloated to her face no less, that he had cursed their daughter… it was out there now no use denying it. It had left her stuck between a castle and a hard place. She had managed to get Regina quiet not long after he left. The screeching had intensified and so she had all but thrown the stuffed toy at her which immediately shut her up long enough for her to think.

Her first thought was that it was obvious. A child that had been cursed was no good to her, she still didn't know what with and from the look she saw him wearing as he looked in the books – she wasn't getting her answer from those. Also with the way she was now – clawing and almost shattering windows, it would be an embarrassment to her – to have people talking behind her backs… the _help,_ sniggering away at the power-hungry witch, left with an abomination for a daughter.

This was his fault… the infuriating imp who had meddled. Yes she may have broken a deal purely to suit her own needs, but he had messed with her life for the last time… she would find a way to get her revenge if it was the last thing she did, she would find a way to hurt him so much a curse on his child would be the least of his problems.

But now said child with curse was _her _problem… one she had no clue about what to do about. She glanced at Regina again who had decided to go back to sleep and had lain down not even caring that her Mother had to struggle with her choices.

Such an ungrateful child,

Leaving the tot to sleep she began pacing the length of her room again. Her mind working as the hours into the night slowly ticked by, eventually she came to a plan… it wasn't a choice as of yet but it was a start.

It didn't matter what Rumple had said, the little coward would say anything to deter her from trying to find a solution. It was how he worked, his deals consisted of how he explained them… it was the reason they had been so successful, though simple enough to the lesser man who was dammed, desperate or greedy enough to go to him… a play on words from a master negotiator was soon to be their downfall as they came to learn on selling their soul to the devil.

And it might have worked on her… if she was a lesser man.

The advantage of him being in love with her was that she came to know the deeper side of the dark one, those who only dealt with him once only ever saw his mischievous side, his cunning and sly side.

She could fix this. She would break whatever spell he had inflicted on the baby and once she did, her plans would be back on track. For now this was just a… slip in the road, one she wasn't expecting but nonetheless, one she would get right. She didn't bother to try a reapply the protection charm to the chambers, now that she knew he could get past them and had done so without her knowledge, she didn't see the point in wasting her magic when it could be put to better use.

The rest of the day was spent within her dungeon Potions room. She didn't dare let Regina out of her sight and so had taken the little baby with her as she looked up from her mixtures to check on the small girl who was happily playing in the corner of the room. So far she hadn't done anything out of the ordinary much to her relief as she got back to working on a few of her own concoctions she thought might reverse his work.

Nothing had worked.

She had, for the past day and a half. Tried everything she could think of, from potions to spells to even bloody rituals. But nothing had seemed to break its effects… how did she know nothing had been successful? She had come back halfway through the day after having failed yet again and placed Regina down in her crib only to stop mid turn as the black-haired baby let out a small growl.

She was growling now… like a wild dog.

'_Or some kind of trapped beast'_

The words of the servant had come back to her and it was that what had her sitting on her bed, she did nothing but stare at the small child who was nibbling on her blanket with nothing in her cold, dark eyes except one thing.

She had failed.

She had failed in her bid to stop Rumple from getting his revenge. She had failed in her bid to outsmart him and to counter his magic… she had failed.

Just like he said she would.

It was in that moment, when she realized right then and there… that not only had she just lost the one thing that would have guaranteed her elevated status to a higher level of power, but if she had a heart to feel then she would have been more cut up about the fact that she had also failed her daughter at being unable to give her a normal life once more. She sat there a little while longer, just looking…

She called for a nanny to come and get Regina as soon as she had her senses once more. Now that she knew it was useless, her mind went to work again… thinking of more plans but this time, it wasn't on a way to fix Regina's problem.

It was to fix hers

The door opened as the nanny waited as usual for her to nod her permission as she moved over to the crib. By now having known the standard routine and picked the baby up, she gave the other woman a slight bow before leaving her alone as she took Regina back to her nursery. As soon as she was left alone she waited a little longer before standing and moving over to her mirror.

She waved a hand over her clothes as they changed, from the perfectly tailored dress she always never went without. To a mundane brown and dirty ragged one, it reminded her of her time as the miller's daughter as she eyed it with barely hidden disdain and shook her head before clicking her fingers and disappearing from the chambers altogether.

As powerful as she was, it was still a long way from the castle to the nearest village and so she appeared again just outside of the castle gates as she looked around for any sign of a patrol before getting her breath and vanishing again. She appeared once more this time just on the outskirts of the village and decided to walk it from there as she made in the direction of where she could hear noise.

She entered the little town that she liked to call 'pheasantville' and looked around not bothering to hide her disgust at the drunk and brazen people around her, he finally spied the tavern and made for that direction as she knew she was bound to find what she was looking for there and with a gingerly push… made her way inside.

It took a while and after threatening to set two people alight. She finally came across a man who seemed to be what she needed and with a nod to the bar keeper, moved in his direction. He waere sat by himself she noted without surprise as she eyed the bar stool in front of her before thinking better of it and instead stood next to him.

He noticed her presence after a few minutes and turned to look at her. "What"

She didn't say anything. Merely nodded her head and he looked on as the bar man who had been holding a jug of mead, placed it in front of him before moving off to serve the other customers. He eyed the full mug sceptically before turning to her again.

"What's this?" She chuckled slightly before holding a hand out to his almost empty jug. "I believe it is the same as what you have been drinking already"

He eyed them both before looking back at her, "Yeah, what I wanna know is why you got it me. Normally when people buy me things it's so I don't kill them." She lifted her head a little at him. He was gruff, his demeanor practically screamed danger, and if the people giving him a wide berth was anything to go by, then she knew it wouldn't take long for her to finish the next stage in her plan.

"Well, I highly doubt you can kill me… so let's just call this a business transaction of sorts." He snorted before returning to his drink. She narrowed her eyes at him before tipping her head a little and watched as he went from under his seat to the floor below. As soon as he hit the floor the people around him stopped their activities and looked on in mild horror. She waited as he yanked himself from the floor and stood facing her.

"I was gonna let you off seeing as I was thirsty, but now you asked for it lady or no." She watched him pull out a pocket knife before smirking again. Seeing her smile set him off and he made to move to her but found himself unable to move as his face contorted with a mix of confusion... bafflement, anger and finally realization as he looked to her.

"My dear man" She began with a condescending chuckle. "If you realized who I was, then it is _you _who have been let of lightly." She stepped closer.

"But as it is I need your services… you seem like the type who would do just about anything for money." He snarled a little at her flippant remark as she ignored him.

"I think we need to talk."

She returned to the castle later that night having finished in her task. She appeared in her room before pulling of her cloak before banishing it to her closet and changing into her nightwear. She slid into bed and settled down feeling oddly relaxed for someone who was about to break a family come the next night. She turned over and closed her eyes,

After tomorrow

She woke to knocking on the door as she beckoned the person to enter. The nanny had returned and brought the baby back as she moved over to place the young girl back in her crib but stopped as Cora held a hand out before motioning for her to put the baby on her bed. The older woman was, for the second time in as many days confused but didn't question it as she nodded her head and placed the tiny tot in front of her.

She dismissed the other woman who left them to it as Regina turned around, her day full of energy now that she had a night's sleep and smiled at the only other in the room as Cora made little effort to return it but still kept her close.

They stayed like that for a while as the older sorceress watched her with mild interest as she dragged herself along the silken covers. A knock at the door broke her out of her trance as she turned her head and idly called for whoever it was to enter, she watched as Henry poked his head around the door and smiled hesitantly. He had been back for a longer stay and so knowing he had no visits to anywhere planned thought it be a good idea to see if Cora and Regina wanted to go for a walk.

Of course he had to ask the other woman and so kept up his cheerful smile as he observed her mood. She was sitting on her bed doing nothing with seemed a bit unusual for a woman like her but he didn't dare question her instead, he waited for her to acknowledge him.

"Yes"

He smiled a bit brighter and very slowly stepped into the room. He looked to the little tot still gnawing away on her blanket and thought nothing of it much to his ignorance of the truth before looking back to his wife.

"I was just wondering, my lady, since the weather is lovely… if you fancied taking a walk with me."

She didn't respond, just looked at him as he carried on. "With Regina, of course… a little family walk through the gardens." He finished his piece and waited anxiously for her response. She kept her gaze trained on his slightly timid stance as he fidgeted a little under her hawk like observations until at last and much to his surprise, she nodded.

"A walk sounds marvellous."

His smile was bright enough to rival the sun normally she would have scoffed at such show of blatant emotions but didn't as he asked something and without thought to what it was, nodded as he stood taller and made his way over to the baby before plucking the sprightly tot from her place as he held her in his arms before retreating to the door.

"I shall see you at the doors, my lady" As he took his leave with the small child in his arms leaving her to her thoughts. She sat long after he had left her thoughts miles away as her eyes looked on blankly at the now empty spot in front of her before eventually, she rose from her bed. She knew what she had to do and if it was to be believable… then she had to act now so with a quick wave of her hand, her outfit changed as she retouched her hair making sure it was still held firmly before leaving her chambers.

She met with her husband at the foot of the stairs leading to the large double door and to the palace gardens as he smiled at her arrival, she saw him holding Regina still in his arms as the small girl flailed in his arms taking in all around her and giggling delightedly. He turned a little so she could see the older woman come closer as the baby spied her approaching and gifted her with a gummy smile.

Cora looked on at the happy baby and wasn't surprised that she felt nothing inside as she smiled as expected on seeing him watching the pair; she instead had only to look upon them to confirm her plans. Any fool could see his love for the little girl; she was the pride and joy of his life… it confused her really, she watched them interact and it both intrigued and baffled her at just how he acted when around the small tot.

He turned to look at her, "Shall we go?" She merely nodded as they turned and made their way to the large door which slowly opened to let them out as they made their trip to the gardens.

They took their time moving through the decorated landscape. Cora did nothing but eye them as Henry lifted the little girl up to a small tree and smiled as she giggled and tried to reach the leaves only to fall short due to her stubby little arm. Regina whimpered a little at having failed to reach her goal and let out a small whimper. Something Cora heard as the older woman spun from her observing of the rose-bush to stare in slight horror at the increasingly upset child.

"There, there… shhh –it's ok" Henry muttered into her hair as he rocked her a little. Regina squirmed in his grip a little as she tried to lift herself up, the older woman heard a few more struggling whimpers and quickly lifted her hand, flicking her fingers as a few leaves rustled before falling from the tree and down into the grasping fist of happy baby. Satisfied she had nullified what could have been a problematic situation before turning away once more.

She had been deep in thought during their walk. As they carried on their journey, she had to let it be so that the people who had worked in the gardens around them saw the small baby in order for her plan to work as they stopped at the lake. She gave them a furtive glance at the two as the prince turned the small baby around to see the water and the birds that swam there as eventually he knelt so that they were closer to the water.

Keeping her hands slightly hidden she flicked her fingers once more. As a passing swan suddenly let out a shill wail and rose from the water slightly. The large bird flapped its wings causing water to splash over them as Henry did his best to shield them both from the spattering's as she flicked her fingers again and with another strangled cry, the bird shot out of the lake and straight at them.

She moved away slightly and watched as Henry lowered his arm only to see the white creature come at them as he tried to step away, but wasn't fast enough as the swan crashed into them and in his slight distraction, his grip on the tiny tot slid, and he gasped in horror as Regina tumbled to the floor. The small baby hit the grassy ground and rolled, bouncing a little as she rolled on to her back coming to a stop in the small puddle that covered the mossy green.

Dark brown eyes blinked in silent shock before they crinkled and the calm garden was filled with high-pitched wails as she started to cry, she flailed in the puddle her arms splashing about and her clothes gathering moisture as he fought the attacking bird off with the older woman waiting, having the pretense of being behind him as an obstacle for not helping their daughter. Henry dived for the fallen tot as soon as he got his bearings after shooing the bird off finally as Cora moved over to them silently. He stood straight and tried to calm the shrieking child as hands slid over his and soon he found Regina plucked from his grasp as Cora tended to her.

He watched in surprise as the normally cold woman fussed over her daughter in a rare show of affection as she ran her hand across the black curls.

"Hush my little one."

He watched in morbid fascination… the scene making him feel oddly nervous but knew that it was more than it was worth to try and question it a little while later Regina stopped crying as slowly her wails turned into pitiful whimpers as she looked up to the woman nursing her, Cora smiled as their eyes met.

"Everything's all right now."

The baby gazed at her for a moment before letting out a loud sneeze. She shook with the force and looked around a little dazed as Cora kept her gaze on her, Henry on hearing the sneeze panicked slightly, and Cora slowly lifted her head to see his fidgety stance.

"Something wrong"

He turned to look at her watching him and though he wanted his daughter back inside as soon as on hearing what could be the first signs on what could have been a cold as the air around them grew chillier the small baby shivered a little.

"Can we- can we get Regina indoors." She titled her head a little to the side for a moment as he waited before finally nodding and turned missing his smile of relief as he followed them quickly back up to the castle. Once inside he came to a stop as Cora turned to him suddenly in the middle of the hall.

"I think I shall take Regina back for a nap now."

He stared at her in silence. His mind in two places, he had accidentally dropped his daughter to the ground. Yes he may have picked her up as soon as he had, but it was still enough to have her hitting her back… she was also soaking as her clothes had dripped water all the way up and onto the marble floor, she shuddered again in her mother's grip. He nodded and watched as she quickly moved away from him and around the corner once up the stairs.

She pushed on the door and placed the small girl on her bed. Her hand waving over her body and the wet clothes vanishing, being replaced with new dry ones Regina, now having been taken out of her old and used clothes. Looked down slightly before her attention drifted, and she found herself being distracted by something that had been left out on the cover.

Now that people had been around to see them as they had stopped their work on hearing the babies wails before watching as they made their way back to the castle. The first part of the plan was complete. The second was to make sure that Regina came down with sickness. Once she was sick she could use the excuse to keep the small girl with her as she readied the third part of her plan.

Of course she would allow Henry to see her, if not for appearances sake. But for the fact that after the third part was complete. He would never be seeing the younger girl again and so, would give him that small mercy. She stayed in her rooms up until Henry made another appearance much sooner than she would have liked and she fought to roll her eyes but figured that he wouldn't get much more of a chance as he made his way over to where Regina lay.

Couldn't have been like any of the other royals who didn't pay attention to their kids.

"How is she?"

Giving the baby a small glance she shrugged and spoke. "I changed her clothes as soon as we got in but it sounds like she is getting a cold." His face instantly morphed into one of sadness and that she couldn't help the eye roll, simpleton. He reached in and cooed at the tiny tot who was messing with her toy.

"Poor thing"

"Hmm"

A few sniffles proved her point as he simpered a little longer with Cora leaving him to it, soon he bade them goodnight and was on his way with one last kiss to her head. Regina slowly let her tiny body fall back as she lay down intent on going to sleep, Cora slowly approached the crib and let her eyes roam the small face before her as Regina's chest fluttered slightly and she stretched her arms out tiredly.

She moved away to get changed though it wouldn't be for long as she removed her hair from its confines and got under her covers. She laid down not as fully as she would normally do as she half sat against her cushions half lay and closed her eyes.

It was when the moon was high in the sky did she wake again. She looked to the crib where the snuffles could still be heard as she slowly pulled back her covers. She wasted no time in getting changed as she did up her hair again and very gently picked up the snoozing baby. Regina whined a little and turned slightly but didn't wake as Cora placed her against her shoulder and after changing her clothes into something more weather worthy, she vanished from the room.

She came back out to where she first appeared, back outside the gates and quickly moved into the forest in case Regina woke which to her surprise. She hadn't and so set off down the trail. She walked until she came to a small clearing as she looked around for any sign on the hired help before a sound had her turning to see him coming from the clearing across the small fire that had been lit.

"You actually showed." He moved closer and placed something he had been holding down and snorted "Getting paid aren't I?" She didn't respond merely let her eyes travel to the baggage he had been instructed to bring.

"So… anybody going to notice." He shrugged at her question. "Like I know… just some sickly brat from a whore most likely not even going to notice it gone… just like you asked" She nodded as she motioned for him to pick it up as he scowled but moved to take the second baby that he had stolen per her order, as he held it out in front of him causing the smaller child to let out a weak cry.

She eyed the second baby in his arms. It really did look sick. The skin was as pale and transparent even with the fire lighting her skin. She looked malnourished, which was what was to be expected if he had indeed stolen the child from a woman of little morals… it was like she was doing her a favour as conjured a basket for Regina before lifting her from her shoulder.

Miraculously Regina hadn't even woken despite being jostled. She merely snuffled a little as Cora lifted her up to the fires light so she could look at her, the man watched as the older woman seemingly lost herself in the smaller child's face for a moment before speaking.

"Look, we doing this or what?"

She let her gaze roam over the tiny girls face once more before nodding as she lowered the sleeping tot into the basket and placed it in the middle of them. He learned forward to take the second basket as he switched the children around before straightening up; he looked to the right of him for a second more before turning back to her.

"We done"

She nodded. "Make sure that no one notices her," He held up his hand and nodded.

"Yeah sure whatever, when I'm I getting my money" She lifted her head a little and regarded him for a moment longer before finally replying. "Meet me back here in two days… you shall get your money then."

He held her gaze for a moment as he picked up the basket and turned around. She waited as he retreated backwards and watched as both he and her daughter disappeared into the murky blackness behind them. She stayed by the fire a little after he had gone just staring at the space they had been.

She had just given her daughter away. Cast her aside like she was nothing but a rag doll and she felt nothing… she knew if she had her heart things would have been different, she wouldn't have been cursed for one as she would have gladly loved Rumple the way he loved her, he wouldn't have felt it necessary to be spiteful and ruin a young child's life just for revenge.

Even if she felt the crippling guilt she knew should have been coursing through her veins right now, that it was his entire fault. And so picked up the smaller, frailer baby and clicked her fingers as they vanished from the clearing.

A day later saw the man and small baby sitting in another small clearing on the other side of the forest. He sat on a fallen trunk glancing over at the wriggling child as he ate his catch for the morning, he had no idea why it was he still had the brat with him when he could have just given her away to the nearest person around, it wasn't his child, he could just leave her here and go back in two days' time for the money saying he had done the job.

He eyed the child, she was weird. He found… not sure if it was him having been drunk at the time or animal around. But he was sure he heard growling's coming from her little body; it wasn't just that either… the sides of her basket carry was slightly shredded. It creeped him out but if he didn't think the that the other woman would have somehow known that he had just left her lying about then he would have done exactly that.

Not that he would admit it but there was something about the older brunette that just screamed danger, even to a man who had killed like himself, and so he was going to see this one through.

But to what end he actually didn't know. The older woman hadn't said anything about a destination. She had given him any information about where to take the child, just gave her to him and off he went. He sighed and threw away the small bones from the rabbit he had eaten.

"Well isn't she just a cute thing."

He sprung up and pulled out the knife he always carried with him and turned to face the sound of the sudden voice as his eyed took in the newcomer and widened as they settled on a glittery skinned man standing above the baby peering down at her.

"Who the hell are you?"

Rumple didn't respond for a moment as he took in the sight of his child lying on the ground. She looked up to him and smiled her trademark gummy smile as her eyes focused on him and let out a small laugh. He finally lifted his head to look in the direction of the other man.

"What was it you said?"

"I said, who are you… why you here." He thrust his knife towards the golden colored man and licked his lips nervously, Rumple merely apprised the henchman who Cora had tasked with taking Regina away and his lips split into a predatory grin making the man across from him even wearier.

"Doesn't look like you…"

The man frowned in confusion. "Ey?"

"The child, I said she doesn't look a bit like you." Both sets of eyes glanced at the blissfully ignorant child as he spoke.

"Looking after her for someone"

"Oh?"

"Yeah, taking her back now actually." To this Rumples smile widened even more. The man jumped a mile when he vanished without so much as a blink before coming to his side before he could even yell.

"And where exactly are you taking her?" Turning quickly he kept the knife at his arm level taking a step away, he didn't have a clue what was going on or who the… well he had no idea as to what was standing across from him but he seemed to be taking an interest in the baby.

"You want her or something?"

Rumple laughed out loud at the question before shaking his head. "Oh my good man… no, no I couldn't take her, not in a million years."

"Why not… you look like you could." Dancing nimbly, he manoeuvred his way around the nervous man before spinning on his heel. "…Sounds intriguing, I'll bite." He turned his gaze back on Regina for a few seconds.

"And just why, dear sir, you think me capable of looking after this child. For all you know I could be stealing small babies and taking them back to my castle to eat." The man looked perturbed

"…Do you… do you do that?" Rumple shook his head. "No, but the possibility is always there. It's nice to have options" He giggled again at the look on his face before moving away.

"You have no idea as to why that woman gave her away do you?" He eyed the man who shook his head slowly. "She just said make sure no one sees her"

The reptilian man nodded and pursed his lips. "Did it occur to you that maybe there is something wrong with the baby?" The other man took another look at the dark-haired girl on his words.

"Is there"

Rumple shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know… why, do you think there is?"

It took him a few minutes to reply but he did by nodding his head, "… I've heard things," The shimmering man leaned in closer, his sharp teeth on show as he listened.

"Things?" He nodded

"Well do tell, do tell don't keep me waiting."

"… She growls"

"Growls" He nodded. "I thought it was a fox but it's here I know it is, also… her basket is ripped, torn where she sleeps… like she scratches with claws or summit."

At this Rumple gasped in mock surprise and cast a glance at the wriggling baby. "Oh surely you jest… babies don't have claws nor do they growl."

"I swear it! It's like she's an animal or something." Rumple leaned in closer so he was now a hair width away from the other man.

"Did it ever occur to you, maybe that's exactly what she is." The man lowered his knife confused once more at the cryptic words the odd-looking man was saying and watched as he hopped and skipped his way back to the basket. He bent down and picked Regina up, who seemed happy as she patted his cheek. He watched them interact a little and vaguely heard the words he seemed to babble to her.

"Come on dearie… laugh for old Rumple you can do it… just one big" He threw her slightly into the air making her squeal with laughter as he caught her in his hands again.

"Laugh"

The other man stumbled back. His knife coming up again as he backed away from the pair as fast as he could in horror at what he saw. He had been around a few villages… been to different kingdoms and knew that magic existed, he had seen things whilst he robbed and killed before moving on but never in his life had he seen something like this.

"Matches her skin tone… don't you think."

He gaped in fear at the girl whose pupils had now been reduced to naught but slits and the color a vivid green as he turned to the man holding her.

"Freaks… your both freaks."

"Oh come now she's just a baby, practically harmless. Well, if you don't count the teeth that is."

"…. Teeth?" Rumple nodded, his grin widening once more as he looked at the little girl in his arms. "And claws, you would indeed be right about those. Nasty things if they catch you, bleed something fierce."

"What the hell is she… what are you!" He raised his weapon as the crocodile shrouded man took a step nearer. "Me? I'm simply a man my good sir, but this little one." He lifted her up in his arms as she giggled causing her eyes to glow slightly brighter.

"… Some sort of dragon I'd say." His causal response had the other man shifting back even further. "Dragon? You expect me to believe that."

Rumple shrugged as he bounced the tiny child. "Think what you like… but just what was the reason Cora had for giving her away again" He waited for him to response."

"Cora?"

"Hmm"

"That witch lady, the royal one…" Rumple nodded his confirmation. As the man pointed to the baby.

"So that's that little princess everyone's going on about." This was more than what he had agreed, not for any royal even if he didn't know exactly who it was that hired him.

"Not anymore if her own Mother was so eager to be rid of her." He gave the little girl a sad pout. "You think she knew."

"But of course. And being the perfectly model royal she is, couldn't possibly have a child whose more creature than human now could she." He didn't respond to his statement as he rocked the baby back and forth.

"So why do you care."

"Pardon."

"The baby, why do you care about her." He watched as the other man paused in replying as a small hand fiddled with his lapel. He couldn't work out the expression on his face but knew that it had him thinking hard.

"An avid interest, you could say." He didn't say any more but he knew from his tone the subject closed as his slightly morose demeanour turned back to his sprightly and gleeful self in the blink of his eye.

"So back to my earlier question. Now that you know just why the witch was so eager to be rid of, where are you going to take her now"

The man faltered at his words. Where was he going to take her, now that he had seen with his own eyes that the small baby was practically a beast… A dragon… he didn't know if he was true but he was going to take his word for it, Rumple observed his predicament. This was the part he intervened, the reason for his being there at all as he spoke.

"Come on now, an immoral man like yourself. You've been around, know a few places… surely the answer is easy." He lifted his head from where he had looked to the ground as their eyes met.

"Where… in this realm and the next. Is there a place where a dragon dwells"

Eyes widened in realization as Rumple smiled in satisfaction. "The forbidden fortress."

"Indeed"

He shook his head. "No way, I'm not going there... I have heard the stories."

Rumple lifted his head a little in regards to the fallen Faerie. Whilst he hadn't the pleasure of actually meeting her, he had heard the tales of those who dared venture near her home above the frozen mountain. Never to come back again. It was actually the other side to her that prompted him to research the elemental side as well as the creature side of magic.

It was the very reason for his curse.

"My dear man if there were no survivors. Where did the stories come from."

His remark silenced the man's protests as he thought about what he said. Rumple placed the baby back in her basket and moved over to him.

"Well now that's all settled, I think I shall leave you to get on with your journey." This had him shaking his head again.

"I said I'm not going." He turned away, this really was more than what his time was worth and was about to walk away when Rumples smooth voice cut the air again.

"I wonder," He stopped in spite of himself. "Just how much it was Cora had promised you,"

He spun and glared at the trickster imp who was leaning against a tree. "It must have been quite a bit considering it was after all, a princess you have in all technically kidnapped."

The knife he had sheathed on walking away was feeling heavy on his side. "But I'm also assuming that is once you have completed your job." His grin lingered knowingly on the other man.

"Right?"

He laughed and vanished when the knife sailed his way and the thug found himself being thrown through the air, coming to land heavily on the ground.

"Trust me when I say this, no matter how you think you can abandon your task and claim the money for it later, she will know." He groaned and lifted himself to his elbows as he saw Rumple standing across from him.

"She always, knows… If I didn't know her from previous meetings I would think that woman a creature herself, a canny ability when it comes to people's secrets… more hawk then woman"

He staggered to his feet and wheezed as he struggled to get his breath. "Believe me when I say, it would be in your best interest… and health, to finish what you started."

He nodded without protest. He knew that no matter what he said or did, it wouldn't make a difference and so took him at his word. Rumple saw his yield and clapped his hands.

"Marvellous."

He waved his hands as the man suddenly found himself with an armful of basket and baby as he struggled to keep it upright. "I'll even help you along your way as a gesture of goodwill."

Before he had time to ask what he meant. The imp twisted his hand again and watched as they were sucked up by the light pink plume of smoke as it carried them off leaving him alone. His humourist expression faded, replaced with one of contemplation. Now that he had persuaded the man to follow his advice and take the baby to where she would be most looked after, he wondered what would come next.

He may have had the power of foresight but even the most accurate of oracle can tell that the future could change like the wind. He mused on his thoughts which turned to the older witch… she might not have bothered as to where her daughter ended up, but as he was still determined to forge ahead with his plans he knew that she had to be out of the picture lest she try to get her revenge.

He pushed that thought to the back of his mind. That would come later, he had bigger things to work on now and so vanished back to his castle leaving destiny to travel its new path.

The man had, on jerking out of the pink smog. Found himself in the town closest to the mountain that the fortress dwelt. He looked up at the ominous looking backdrop, if he hadn't of taken the words of the glitter laden man to heart, then he would have just left the child the moment he found out about her… affliction.

But as it was he was more worried about the older woman. Now that he knew it was the royal… the witch that had given him the job, he knew he had to succeed, not for the money but for his life. He saw her eyes… saw how hollow and cold they looked, he didn't like it and shuddered to think what might lie in store should he fail. He decided to carry on with his journey getting it over with as soon as possible.

But before he could he needed provisions and so crept down the side of the nearest ally, reverting back to what he did best before he even took a step closer to what could have only been the most dangerous journey of his life.

After returning to his castle. Rumple made for his study. After having done what he needed to in concerns for his daughter, his next step was to take action in regards to his son. She shut the door behind him and stepped over to his work bench where he had tinkered with different Potions and spells in preparation for his plans. He had the basics down the formula was proving tricky as he picked up a small bottle and tilted the contents around, inspecting it before returning it to the table.

It wasn't just the curse that was proving troublesome to create. Now that his first and most ideal candidate had been taken out of play, he needed to find someone with enough power to be able to cast it he had people willing, students dying to prove their worth to him and so would have fallen over their feet in desperation to make him happy giving him ample to choose from.

But none were good enough. Regina was the only one that had the power to cast it, the only one with enough talent to pull it off and successfully… not anymore it seemed.

Shaking his head he got back to his work. That like the Cora problem could wait. First he had to make the thing first and so spent the rest of the afternoon hold up in his little laboratory.

After managing to pilfer what he needed from unsuspecting townspeople. He had enough to begin his trip, he made his way down the narrow path that led out of the town and to the foot of the mountain wondering how it was he had gone from hardened criminal to baby carrier for a dragon child.

There was the threat of death by unimaginable horrors from the Mother of course. But still, if anyone could see him now oh how they would laugh. He trudged miserably hefting the baby, now clean after he had conned some woman into changing her for him at the side of him ignoring the looks he was getting as he neared the track that would lead him pas the safety point.

A hand made him stop and he was pulled back a bit as he turned to see an older looking man with a greyish beard staring at him. His eyes were slightly wide and fearing as he held onto his arms.

"Do you know where you are going?" He asked shaking him a little as the man nodded. The older man's gaze went past him before coming back to land on him.

"That's the home of the dragon… the feared one." Shrugging his arms off. The man glared at him. "Of course I knew, it wasn't like I was going up there blind."

The man, on hearing him stared at him like he was crazy. "You know what the mountain holds?" He nodded. "Yet you still go." He nodded again.

"Even with the little one." His eyes lowered to the baby in the basket as she looked around. The thug man followed his gaze as his eyes met that of the child's and he flinched slightly at remembering them glowing.

"… I think the babies just fine… now leave." He turned and made for the path ignoring his cries for him to stop.

"You'll get yourself and that baby killed… come back! Stop!" But he didn't stop. In fact he kept on going, following the trail as it got narrower, steeper and rockier with him cursing the day he met the witch as he climbed. He had to stop and take a longer way as he saw the quickest had been cut off and so followed the pass as it cut through the forest.

He cursed the day he met Cora… He cursed the money she offered, he cursed the imp, and he cursed the child he was carrying. He stopped for a while to have a rest and some drink as he awkwardly gave some to the baby who squealed as it dribbled down her front before her attention fell to the small piece of bread in his hand. He handed it over and watched as she gummed it for a while.

He carried on his way once he had eaten never stopping until at last he reached the halfway point by which he could make out the black castle that sat nestled on the mountain. He gazed upon the chilling scene and was about to take a step closer when an earth trembling roar had him stopping. His eyes instantly alert swept the length of the path trying to spot the danger as another roar had him moving back.

Of course what he didn't know was that he had crossed a ward on the path as he walked alerting his presence to that of the Dark Faerie who had been waiting for his arrival.

At hearing the sound of the ward going off had both surprised and confused Maleficent. The blond-haired witch never had visitors. Either by her own admission or because everyone knew about her reputation. So to hear that somebody had actually braved climbing her mountain in the hopes of reaching her castle as it was the only thing around for miles had her intrigued.

She was all for letting whomever it was get closer to her home content to wait it out until they arrived, but then realized that there were still plenty of other dangers on and around the mountainside that could hinder their journey and so decided to go and greet them personally. After all, they had made the effort to come and see her, the least she could do was make it easier on them.

Back outside the man was still looking around for any sign of what had made the noise. He had crept back as far as he could go so that if anything did get close to them they would be at least hidden from view as the roar got louder and he swore loudly when a large shadow had him looking up as he finally realized just what it was.

The huge purple dragon had flown the skies. Her steely gaze scouring the rocky Cliffside for any sign of her guests as she flew around. He watched the great beast circle the area and ducked low when it soared down low. Regina squealed and laughed oblivious to the clear danger above her as he turned his head to her and bent trying to shut her up.

His sharp mobility had not gone unnoticed. Her eyesight being seven times better than what a humans was, Maleficent sighted the movement against the seemingly motionless inanimate backdrop as a feral grin graced her thin lips. He realized that he wasn't going to shut her up and so turned his attentions back to the threat above only to gasp when he saw the large creature now flying to them.

It was clear they had been seen and so looking down at the still blissful baby, he paused for a few seconds before turning and fleeing. He could take a lot of things but being dragon food was not one of them. The money wasn't worth risking his life this much as he jumped down the ledge and ran back downwards to the smoother path that led back to the village. As far as he were concerned, he had done his job, he had gotten the child as far away as possible and so didn't look back.

Maleficent had seen him running away and was all for going after him but a sound had her looking back to where he had hidden. Now she was closer to the mountain her hearing was better and so her curiosity won out over her need to entertainment as she flew closer.

Getting as near as she could, she used her claws to grip the ledge and edged around until she came to the exact spot where he had hidden, she heard the sound of light whimpering and pulled her head back slightly before deigning it worth further investigation. Her form shrank as she shuffled further onto the ledge as soon she was back on two legs and walked to where she could hear the sound.

To say she was shocked was an understatement as her eyes fell upon the basket and the baby it contained as by now Regina had seen that no one was around and so had gone from happy to scared as little whimpers slipped from her mouth. The blonde stayed out of sight of the scared infant just observing…

This was completely new to her, having never been in the vicinity of any child before. Not unless she counted Sleeping Beauty as one but really, she was just a pest. Finally she decided it was time to find out why he had left a small child in the middle of nowhere, and her home especially as she made her way closer.

As if sensing somebody nearing, her whimpers stopped and in their place came the slight struggles as she tried to twist in her little basket to see who it was. Maleficent moved nearer, her eyes never leaving the small baby, there was something about the tiny girl… something off, but what she didn't know yet.

Finally having twisted far enough dark eyes caught sight of the purple dressed woman and her smile spread across her lips as she shuffled a little so that she could see her without craning her neck.

"Little young to be out here on your own aren't you?" She spoke to the tiny tot as Regina gazed up at her, she stepped so she was now right in front of her as they eyes never wavered. The more she watched the more she found herself being allured by the small child, her eyes, though still that of a baby's they seemed to hold so much…

Well she didn't know which was probably what captivated her so, that and the little nagging in the back of her mind that was telling her that something was still not… not right about the tiny girl.

"Aren't you just the most fascinating thing" She muttered, she was still wondering just why it was the man had fled leaving the young girl alone by herself. She idly wondered if he was coming back as she didn't see any chance of her taking in the baby.

"Not much of a talker are you?"

Regina gurgled and lifted her arm as her hand made a grabbing motion which caused the blonde to chuckle. "Oh no – I don't think so dear, not with this dress." Her curiosity was slowly being replaced by amusement as the dark-haired baby looked at her before copying her actions.

Her laughter turned into a small gasp as like before. The sudden spike in emotion caused the baby's cursed features to emerge and the dark Faerie was once more stunned into silence as she gazed upon the now green glowing irises, narrowed down into slits.

This was what she had felt. The slightly unsettled feeling in her gut that told her a threat was about. But of course this baby wasn't a threat… certainly not yet anyhow, it genuinely shocked her to find another like her, and in one so young… she didn't know what kind the little girl was as she was still too young to change if she could, but she could now only assume this was the reason the man had fled without taking her with him.

He must have known all along what she was. That she was more Draconian than human and so must have brought her here… the only other dragon in the realm. Her eyes darkened as it dawned on her that seeing as he wasn't coming back, she was in effective – stuck with this child.

A small growl had her looking down as by now along with her eyes, the small teeth that had lengthened and sharpened until they were naught but tiny fangs. The older sorceress gazed down at the smiling infant and once more wondered who it was that could have possibly made the choice to abandon her, it made her a little angry at the thought that once again due to the ignorance of some, a child went without a family and was left out like a dog.

Cocking her head to the side. She regarded the baby once more before making her choice. Not that she had much of one. "You really are just positively the most puzzling thing I have seen in ages."

She bent a little making Regina gurgle happily again. "Well, I think it's best if you come with me… don't you?" Her eyes went to the blanket the baby was wrapped in and her hand moved to lift the side to read the name eloquently woven into the quilt.

"Regina" She pursed her lips at the regal name before standing up straight again. "Right then little queen. I think it's time I showed you my home."

And with that the two vanished from the side of the mountain ledge. As one destined path ended, only to pavé way for another.


	5. Maleficent's New Guest

**Sorry for this being so late.**

**As I have said to all my other readers on my other stories, work has been crazy busy... 40 hours and not enough sleep, so all have been lacking in the update department. But here it is, I made promise to finish this and I will - hope you all bare with me.**

**Thank you to all that reviewed and this is for you, to one that I forgot to respond to - Regina might meet someone in later chapters, might be one of two I have in my head, but if anyone has their own opinions or who they would like to see then by all means every comment helps.**

**I shall leave it here but I hope you all enjoy. :)**

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The cold castles great hall filled with blue smoke before it disappeared leaving two occupants in its midst. Maleficent looked back down to the basket that held Regina as the small baby took in her new surroundings. The blonde watched the baby's eye movements as the sharp pupils flickered from side to side letting her take in what ultimately was to be her new home.

The faerie still had mixed feelings on that. At having a person – a new presence into her home… her own sanctuary, she had chosen this place deliberately as so she could avoid that very thing. It wasn't her fault people were daft enough to come to her – idiots who boasted their luck in trying to slay the beast that terrorized their villages, or to try to get their revenge on her for harming their loved ones.

Either way she liked her solitude. A small gurgling had her looking down to the happy little baby. And this child would certainly ruin that. But she couldn't really send her back out… could she?

This little girl – this Regina… definitely was a Dragon. Now she could feel it further the more sure she was. But she still wasn't wholly positive as to what type. It would show itself the more she got older but if it was a hostile one then did she really want it living so close to her. Being the only dragon within the realm it allowed her to live a somewhat peaceful life… occasional intruder aside, she was left alone most of the time.

Also without the threat of any other dragon she didn't have to defend her territory, but now she had this. She had either one of two choices; send her away to live with the rest of the dragons in the far North… or keep her here.

Sending her to live with the rest, it would be a quick fix to two of her main concerns… she was more of a curser not a fighter and so really didn't fancy having to keep watching her back should this new baby grow up to be viperous. If there was one thing the blonde Faerie prided herself on, it was that she was more than just the everyday Dragon. The fact that she retained her mind when in creature form gave her that extra advantage over her fellow beast kin.

She also never fought. She found it to be uncouth and in poor taste… why fight when you can curse your enemies into insanity, so if she allowed the baby to live with her than in a few years' time she may end up having to do exactly what she hated. Naturally primal, Dragons would fight over the littlest of things and so did she see herself lowering to the level of which she relished dignity over?

Her other problem was why she was just left lying about. Why did the man leave her? Clearly it was because of her 'Gift' but she couldn't have been born like that… as far as the blonde knew she was the only one with such a talent… and had been for near well over forty years, if that was the case then what was the cause.

Was it revenge… jealousy, petty rivalry gotten out of hand? That she doubted she would ever know as the child clearly couldn't tell her, but was somebody looking for her? Had she been taken and left as an act of vindictiveness, was she actually wanted instead of being abandoned.

If so and it led whoever might be searching to here then not only would her peace be disrupted but it could also bring more problems than she cared to face. She eyed the smiling baby in her blanket and rolled her eyes. This really was nothing like she imagined handling when she woke that day.

"Having fun dear?"

Regina clapped her hands in reply earning another eye roll. She sat on her throne like chair allowing the tiny tot to squirm and roll about until she had covered every inch of the large room under her inquisitive gaze as the door creaked open and the blonde looked to see one of the servers enter the room.

Of course it wasn't all terror and fear she instilled into the hearts of people around. As well as being the beast of their nightmares she also, after a while found that she had been revered, a small group had braved the mighty mountain she had made her home and had come to her in awe of who she was and the symbol she presented. It had baffled her as the last few places she had been she had brought nothing but horror and unimaginable evil to the residents, and so now to open her door to find them practically worshiping her was something both new and a little unnerving.

At first she had tried scaring them. Showing them exactly why she held the title of 'mistress of all evil' and along with being hated, was also feared. But to her dismay they stood their ground seemingly even more in wonderment before falling to their knees before her, never in her life had she had something like that happen… having people adore her instead of trying to kill her, having them hang on her every word instead of blasting them for being lies… actually doing her bidding.

Her last resort was to allow them in but be as mean as she could. If she was horrendous to them then surely they would soon learn and flee for their lives… she went with that and stepped back as they walked through her gates and up to the icy fortress ahead.

That was five years ago,

Once she realized there was to be no getting rid of them. She gave up and just allowed them to do what it was they did, if they wanted to spend their sad little lives doing what she told them then it were their choice. It was a win – win in the end, so everyone was happy.

The man came forwards bowing his head as he got nearer. He smiled as he stood in front of her as she looked down at him. None spoke for a moment as he waited patiently for to her give permission which she did with a nod of her head, he smiled once more and went to speak, his mouth opening only to close when a loud chuckle had him turning in the direction of the noise as his eyes went wide at the sight of the giggling baby.

He stared at the small child in silence as he took her in and the basket she was sitting in before turning back to his mistress who was doing her best to look contrite despite the small elephant in the room. He licked his lips, and very slowly – as to not anger her, spoke.

"… Pardon my question mistress, and please I don't mean any offence… but –"

"No the child isn't mine." He didn't even get to ask before she spoke as he closed it slowly before nodding. He turned back to the blissful baby, "So… whose is she?"

Maleficent shrugged.

"How come she is here?" The blonde looked at him. "She's a guest,"

He nodded not really knowing how to take that… what could he say? She watched in a little amusement at his puzzled expression. Of course she never had guests – much fewer visitors even… not that they made it past dinner that was and so to see a few weeks old baby being her guest of honor was baffling. But like the good server he was, he took it in stride no matter how confusing it was.

"Shall I make a room for your guest mistress… one next to yours perhaps?"

She shook her head at his offered task. There was no way she was losing sleep, she had no idea if Regina was a crier through the night or not… she might have been the realms best baby even, but she wasn't taking that chance.

"No, no…" She paused in her words. What was she going to do? She couldn't just leave the small baby by herself, weirdly independent behavior or not she was still a young infant, and so would need proper care. Something she wasn't able or willing to attempt.

"Could you get one of the older women to come to me please?" He nodded immediately before turning and making for the door, he was at the entrance when he turned back around.

"Oh - I'm sorry mistress, dinner will be served soon." He bowed his head at his mistake as she nodded in return and allowed him to leave. She settled back in her seat and contemplated, she could never let it be said that she wasn't a kind mistress after all – she could have punished him for forgetting to tell her, but what would that achieve? It was better to show them kindness and all those happy emotions they liked so much, get more out of them through compliance rather than fear.

She had to laugh at all the kings who thought fear was a good way to go. Certainly a motivator yes, but sooner or later all the lowly rats will eventually revolt and that was how uprisings start, something she had yet to see happen to her.

Males and their gender hierarchy – never thinking with their heads

The doors opened again and an older woman stepped in, she was an aged woman, with grey hair tied up into a bun her eyes, though deep and blue, held a wisdom and knowledge that the blonde faerie had to admit she hadn't seen in a mortal in a long time. She was also kind, one of her more favored servers and so raised her hand to stop her from bowing.

"You asked for me mistress?"

The other woman nodded once before tilting her head in the direction to the left of her, she followed her direction before coming to a stop on the tiny tot and just like the first server her eyes went slightly wide at seeing the new addition to the castle.

"She needs looking after" The other woman could only nod.

"And seeing as I'm neither the right person nor personally inclined to handle such things could you?"

Ingrid turned to Maleficent giving her mistress a slightly questioning look before turning back to the raven haired child. The witch looked on as she nodded eventually seemingly stuck in thought before turning back to her.

"How long for, if I may be so bold as to ask."

"As long as necessary" Ingrid nodded but Maleficent could tell she was holding her tongue and so exhaled loudly before talking.

"Speak your mind Ingrid, I won't bite"

The silence could be felt so much even Regina stopped her playing to give the blonde a silent look, something that freaked the blonde out some more as she frowned a little at the small baby before turning back to the other woman.

"Speak."

Ingrid bowed her head a little. "… Is the baby going to be living here permanently from now on mistress?"

She waited for her to reply as the blonde turned her attention to the child in the basket, who had gathered her blanket and tipping it out the side. As if knowing someone was watching her she stopped and turned to the only two in the room as her dark eyes fell on the faerie as their gazes connected and a small staring match ensued.

The server watched at the side as a seemingly silent conversation went on between the two as Maleficent pondered once more on her choices. Finally, after what seemed like forever Regina broke the gaze and went back to her blanket leaving the seated woman smirking a little before turning back to the other woman.

"Yes."

Ingrid lifted her head to stare at her mistress. "She will be our newest resident. So I will want one of the rooms cleared out for her,"

She nodded again and turned to leave. With her new orders she went off to do her duties as Maleficent called out again. "But not near me… as I've said before no one disturbs my sleep."

Before letting her go leaving them the only two in the room once more, she glanced at the kicking tot. "Not even for my little student."

She may not have thought it through altogether... may have problems in the future when Regina was older, might have to brush up on her fighting skills a little. But she didn't care she would deal with all that when the time came. There was something mystifying about the baby that she just had to figure out and if that meant she had to share her idyllic little sanctum with an uncontrolled baby then so be it. She would just have to make sure Regina knew exactly who she was, and just why she would always be first and foremost, the top Dragon.

Dinner came with Maleficent being presented her usual serving of roasted deer as she idly glanced every so often at the baby happily drinking her milk brought to her by the server. Something she thanked seeing as she would have just offered her a bit of her meal and left her to it, she really didn't have a clue and frankly wasn't looking forward to learning.

The night ended with the blonde Faerie taking her on a tour of the rest of the castle. Some may have thought it pointless, to be showing a child who would not remember any of it around the rooms and such, but she had a feeling that Regina was more perceptive then she looked and so did it anyway. The night came to an end when the server came to her and informed her that the baby's room was ready.

Of course it was bare when she entered. With never having a need to accommodate a child before there had never been any furniture about. All they did was clean it out and make sure it was livable – dust had been cleared away, the items removed, and dangers taken care of. The rest she would have to do herself and so with a wave of her hand and a small amount of focus, a crib appeared next by the wall next to the window.

She turns to see Ingrid holding the baby in her arms as she nods and lets her pass to go and place the baby in her new bed. She watches the other woman gently place her down before turning to leave but were stopped.

"Mistress"

Maleficent turned back to see Ingrid standing next to the crib,

"Yes?"

Posture slightly hunched a little – sign off meekness as she carried on. "I was just thinking, shouldn't the child have some toys"

The blonde lifts her head a little at the request and arches a perfectly shaped brow. "Toys" Ingrid nods

"Yes, mistress – it's good for them you see. For growth and entertainment, also to help them sleep at night" Like they were magic words the faerie looks more sharply at her,

"Sleep" She nods again. "Yes Mistress"

Looking past her and back to the fuzzy baby she inquires further, "So by sleep you mean… if she doesn't have toys she might not sleep?"

"Yes Mistress"

Well that was it, she wasn't going to have anything risking her sleep and so with another wave of her hands, a few toys appeared just like the crib as the other woman had to nearly juggle to catch them all. She waited until she had placed them next to the baby who had stopped her rolling and had latched on to the nearest one with aggression and started gumming on it.

"Is she happy now?" She saw her nod after checking her over "Seems to be, just playing with them."

"Will she sleep?" Once again after a little assessment Ingrid nods slowly "I think so she has something to hold onto now so should sleep through the night if she doesn't need something that is."

The blonde pulled a face at the 'needing something' part and gave the woman a look that meant she would be dealing with it before bidding her goodnight and leaving her to tuck the baby in as she made her way to her own room.

It didn't take her long to get dressed, even powerful villains had a nightly routine before she slid under her cover and extinguished the light. Today had been one of the strangest she had in a long time. So much so that she was still debating that this was all just some weird dream and that soon she would wake. If not then tomorrow would be one hell of an adjustment period.

Her mind briefly went back to Regina. Such a peculiar creature… no pun intended, before she found herself wondering about the parents – and just who they might have been in order to have a child as oddly… settled as she. She closed her eyes and allowed her precious sleep to claim her as one last thought drifted through her mind.

'_At least life around here might not be so boring anymore.'_


	6. Growing Up Dragon Style

**New chapter, **

**Hope everyone enjoys as the next will not be up so soon as the last so this really was a plus. I would like to thank 'Kingdomalith' for commenting on the previous chapter, i am glad you like it - Maleficent is really one of my favorites on the show and was sad to see her so greatly underused, so hopefully did justice to a little background of her in this.**

**On that note I don't think Angelina Jolie will at all be a good Maleficent, tomb raider yes, awesome Dragon sorceress... nah. Leave that to Kristen.**

**And on with the story, as I have said it might be a little longer then this before the next one is up so please, I would love to hear what you think.**

**Happy reading. :)**

**And as I haven't before and so am thankful to have not been sued yet. I don't own OUAT... Kick Emma's arse for what she did in the finale if that was the case. **

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"REGINA!"

It seemed to be an ongoing theme for the blonde as she stalked the halls of the large castle. She had woken that morning only to have been told yet again by one of the help, that three rooms on the second level had all had their curtains burned away. It was the sixth time that month, and the Faerie was getting sick of it.

Sure it had been cute when Regina had first breathed fire… back when she was a baby, she recalled that particular memory as they sat at the table in the hall at breakfast – just like any other day the small child was going on eight months and already started to babble with a few words being pronounced almost intelligent enough. She was drinking her milk as usual, when without warning she burped, but it wasn't a normal childlike burp.

The youngish woman who was bustling around them – clearing up, jumped and nearly dropped the plates she was carrying as Maleficent looked on with surprise when a smallish stream of fire left her mouth in place of the burp, Regina who had shocked herself at seeing the yellow flame blinked stupidly for a few moments in place of where the tiny fire had just been before letting out a peal of giggles and clapping.

The other woman stared at the small child with slight fear before turning to look at her Mistress who simply shrugged. She didn't know why she was looking scared; didn't she know who it was she was working for? Did she join the wrong group on their walk up the mountain those several years ago? She had no idea what it was she had to be afraid of, if anything she was still the main threat to anyone around them… a small child was hardly a problem.

Oh how she wished she had taken those words back. At first she had nothing to worry about – the baby still could hardly walk so she wasn't particularly nervous as she let Regina carry on with her latest talent. But just a few weeks later, she was there to witness her taking her first real steps across the room and so it was from that moment on that Regina could walk.

Though she wasn't big on baby's judging by the fawning looks a few of the more sentimental woman around her, she took that as a sign Regina had done something worthy of such adoration… she couldn't see what the big fuss was so the baby walked, big deal, all of them did so at one point in their lives. In hindsight if she were more people inclined she should have realized what a milestone it was, and how she was there to see it happen.

But as she was no such person, all she took from that achievement was the fact that Regina was able to spread terror to every level of the castle now should she wish.

Now that she was semi mobile. The small girl had taken immense delight in toddling around setting things on fire. At first it was only small things, like a pile of leaves when on a walk with one of the servers, but then it turned into bigger things – like clothes… _people's _clothes… peoples clothes when they wore them. Her own crib at one point; she got such a telling off for that.

Then it eventually moved on to pretty much every curtain she could find. Which was why the blonde could be found moving throughout her large abode. She was on a quest to find the small girl and had actually surprised herself by looking in rooms she had no idea even existed,

She really had to get out more.

"REGINA!"

She came to a stop in the middle of two halls connecting as she gazed around. "REGINA… IT'S NOT FUNNY ANYMORE!" Her only response was in the form of light tinkles of laughter echoing off the stone walls, she closed her eyes and let out a sigh of resignation… why was she doing this again?

"…AS I'VE SAID IT'S NOT FUNNY ANYMORE!"

She looked around once more and was about to shout again when a small purple cloud suddenly materialized in front of her and she looked down to see it swirl around like a mini cyclone for a few seconds before dissipating, leaving a small girl in its wake.

The blonde eyed the tiny child in front of her disapprovingly as Regina looked back at her smiling. "Hi"

The older woman pursed her lips before speaking. "What have I said about doing that unannounced?"

The raven haired girl looked up from under her eye lashes. "Not to"

"Why?"

"Because it scares the helpers around here" Maleficent nodded at the answer, the first time Regina had used teleport magic was when she was one and a half, a feat if she ever saw one and was both a little impressed as well as unnerved at the fact. She had made the new discovery and just like with her fire, took great enjoyment moving from place to place and scaring the help that went about their day.

She never had a headache like the one she got that day when she found herself trapped in her chair and stuck listening to the hysterical woman's babbling about how the dragon child was trying to frighten her to death. She rolled her eyes at the dramatics but promised to talk to her, the next time she scared another server she made a plan and so was ready for when she made her unexpected arrival.

As soon as the purple cloud appeared, a tale – tale sign on the young child. Maleficent conjured a bucket and waited expectantly as Regina jumped from the smog intent on scaring whoever was on the other side, only to shriek when she found herself coming face to face with a bucketful of ice-cold water. The blonde laughed when the tiny child stumbled back flailing, and almost doubled over when she nearly ran headlong into the stone wall behind her.

That night Regina refused to speak to her had been one of the best she had in a long time.

But that was then and this was now as she glanced back down. Regina was waiting patiently, her little feet tapping lightly on the floor her head bowed a little as Maleficent smirked slightly - it seemed she knew the reason why the Faerie had been searching for her.

'_Smart girl'_

They don't speak for a moment as the blonde is content to let the moment linger, build the tension a little and enjoy watching the raven haired girl squirm. "… Curtains"

She relishes the little gulp that comes from her throat. As she looks to the floor for a few seconds before lifting her head, the blonde raises a brow at the feigned nonchalance almost contrite look on her small face.

"Curtains"

Maleficent nods "Yes dear, curtains… want to hear a little story?" Regina eyes her wearily for a moment but sees no danger in listening and so nods making the blonde smile again.

"Good – well it goes a little like this – one day in a magical castle a bit like this one really, there lived a Faerie. Now this Faerie was quite content with how her life was… sure it may have been a little too quiet – more mundane then watching a tree lose its coloring but it was her life… she was satisfied with it and was happy to keep that going, until that faithful day when an inconsiderate dolt of a man decided to leave a child on my mountain."

The raven haired girl sighed internally but stayed silent as the older woman carried on.

"Now being the kind-hearted, generous and gracious being that this Faerie was-" She were cut off by a little snort and glared down at the girl who had the good sense to duck her head.

"Decided to take in this lonely little baby… take her back to her home and - if you even think about giggling I'll string you up on the nearest mountain point I can find!" She snapped on seeing the tiny body shake slightly as Regina tried to stifle her laughs. She waved her hand once she had calmed enough to let her carry on as Maleficent grumbled under her breath.

"It didn't matter if this tiny girl had disrupted the peace that had been a much-loved commodity, ruined the harmonious sanctum that was this castle."

"I thought this Faerie was meant to be unanimous"

"Shut up"

Regina rolled her eyes a little as they glared at each other.

"Anyway… for all the great points this Faerie had – she had just one little problem." The little girl silently counted in her head as Maleficent bent slightly.

"She had a little beast of a child, who thought herself a mini pyromaniac" She refrained from asking what that meant as the blonde carried on talking.

"Everything from clothing to the bushes outside this little miscreant would take delight in setting flame to… well it drove the poor Faerie nuts – she had no idea just where this unruly behaviour was coming from considering that she was the pinnacle of good attitudes"

She was cut off by another loud snort as she looked at her again as this time Regina didn't even bother to hide her expression as she arched a brow mimicking the blonde moments before.

"You don't really believe your own words do you?"

Maleficent narrowed her eyes at the defiant child in front of her and silently cursed her sassy quips to whatever dark hell hole she could think up in her mind.

"Just listen and be quiet… _brat" _She ignored the scalding glare coming from dark eyes.

"But if that wasn't enough. The devilish little creature had then decided to move on to the items inside the castle… curtains to be exact - as she went about setting the poor things aflame and danced around their burning bodies"

So many things were wrong with this story as she stood and listened but she chose not to say anything lest she became one of those proverbial curtains that she 'accidentally' set alight

"So many curtains… every room always new victims" Regina rolled her eyes again.

'_And she called the helpers dramatic'_

"But little did that cretin know that the souls of those curtains she murdered had been plotting. They silently hatched a plan to get their justice for them and any future curtains that fell tragic to her malicious ways." She looked down to see the face of the little girl and grumbled at the look of boredom that covered it.

'…_Brat'_

"They would wait until the right time… then would sneak up upon her unsuspecting person before ambushing. They would wrap her tightly within their folds and once she was in their clutches, drag her away to parts unknown – never to be seen again."

She looked back down once her tale was over to the dubious look that had now replaced the boredom. "If you really think that then I am glad you never told me stories at night" She crossed her arms and looked the other way,

"… No sleep that way."

"Oh really" Regina looked back to her and nodded. "Yep, how are curtains meant to attack anyway? They can't move."

Maleficent gave her a wicked grin before clicking her fingers and in a flash of blue smoke. Two curtains appeared as they hovered lightly next to her "Not if they had help."

Before Regina could work out what she meant or make a move. The blonde flicked her fingers and the curtains moved quickly to attack. She smiled as a few seconds and some helpless squeals later, one curtain wrapped little girl stood in front of her as Regina tried her hardest to move but found herself unable to and so took to giving the older woman the most evillest glares she could muster.

The Faerie laughed airily before bending down to meet her dark looks eye to eye. "Want to know the moral of the story my dear?"

"Don't get trapped with you in an empty space. Might talk someone to death" She muttered petulantly before squeaking a little from the small bat to the head and turned to see her dark glare returned.

"Insolent little…." She shook her head and cut of her line of thought as she looked back to her, "Stop burning the damn curtains. Do you know how annoying it is to replace them?"

She stood straight once she stopped talking. It wasn't all hard to replace them, in fact it wasn't even a blip to her, but it was a major inconvenience having to hear how half of them had been scorched away and so had to keep summoning new ones. She was a dark witch not a tailor.

Regina huffed a little and tried to retract herself from the tight bindings but still couldn't and so sighed again before conceding. "Fine"

"If you want something to burn there are some rats about outback that are getting cocky." She smiled when Regina did and stepped from in front of her before setting off down the hall.

"Hey! Aren't you forgetting something?" The blonde turned back to see the small girl still struggling. She pursed her lips before shaking her head. "No… don't think so why? Am I wrong?"

She smirked when Regina glared again before chuckling lightly and turned back to carry on down the corridor. Regina looked down at her predicament before shrugging. She saw no help in sight and so with one last look back at the retreating blonde, she grinned knowing just what to say to properly piss her off.

"Thank you for the story, Mama!"

Nearing the end of the hall Maleficent stopped. Her whole body tensing as she whipped her head back around, her eyes boring murderous at the smirking little girl. Regina could feel the heat of the stare that was burning into her body but she doesn't care. She had her way out, and before the wronged Faerie could take a step purple smog engulfed the little girl as she freed herself from the curtain prison before waving and with another sweep of the smoke was gone from the hall leaving the blonde alone with her ire.

Maleficent looked to the place Regina had just been and fumed. Before turning and carrying on her way, thoughts now on how to get even with the smart arsed child as she walked. Another rule of hers that she had made Regina swear to when she was old enough to be able to string coherent words together.

She was. In no way, anyone's Mother.

She had vexed that straight away when the small girl was a baby and they had sat in the great hall. Well – she was sitting Regina was happily rolling along the floor and so not understanding the logic's of a baby's amusement factor she let her, right up until the point when the tiny baby had turned and after dragging herself along the stone floor she looked up to the blonde and smiled.

"Ma..."

Maleficent had nearly choked on her drink and had looked down harshly as Regina struggled to speak. "Ma…"

"No, no… no"

"Ma... Ma…"

"Seriously do not finish that" But as like always the tiny tot ignored her and with one last push. She got her word out. "MAMA"

The dark witch nearly wretched at the dreaded word and closed her eyes sitting back in her chair. The raven haired baby pulled herself up using the hem of her dress and held on to her knee smiling happily with her proud achievement.

"Mama"

"INGRID!"

A few minutes later the door opened and in walked the older woman. She took in the sight of the babbling child holding onto the knee of the slouching woman who looked depressed. She approached them and bowed slightly.

"Mistress"

The blonde lifted her eyes to glance at the quizzical woman and sighed loudly before gesturing to the oblivious baby. "Please tell me her play room is back to normal again."

Still wondering what had made her so forlorn she looked to Regina before nodding lightly. "Yes Mistress – we managed to get the last of them and remove them from the room."

She was talking of course about the toys that Regina had somehow spelled to life. It was a shock to open the door and find all her playthings running around as the baby sat in the middle cheering madly… a poor young helper trapped in the corner guarded by a toy dog.

It had taken a while but finally they had gotten her out with the help of the blonde Faerie who had arrived amused on hearing what had happened as she took in the scene in front of her before she removed the baby from the room as well as the terrified young woman before leaving once more with Regina in tow and back to the hall.

But now she looked utterly downcast so she was curious as to what might have happened in the space on an hour and half. Maleficent nodded grateful on hearing that and so with her hand she waved her to pick Regina up and return her to her room as Ingrid bowed again and went to comply with her wishes. She scooped the tiny girl up as Regina turned to the new woman and smiled as she clung to her.

The older woman gave her a smile before nodding to Maleficent and turned to leave. As she did the tiny baby twisted her head so she could see the blonde again and as soon as she realized she was moving away from the witch she called out again.

"MAMA"

Ingrid stopped in her tracks and turned her head to stare in astonishment at the small tot before turning back to the blonde who was doing her best to look as normal as possible – as if she hadn't just heard the tiny baby call her something that she knows the Faerie hadn't been a part of in a long time.

Family

The dark witch could feel both sets of eyes on her as her throat constricts a little before she licks her suddenly dry lips and eventually looks to them. "Did I stutter?"

The other woman shook her head quickly and turned back to the door, she lifted her hand to lower Regina's and carried on walking until they had both left the blonde witch alone to her thoughts. It wasn't until later did Maleficent come around and tell the tiny baby that she wasn't her Mama… nor was she anything of the sort maternal much to Ingrid's silent discord.

After that Regina knew never to call the blonde the 'M' word… only doing so when they got into arguments and she did it to deliberately wind her up, then in which she had to run for fear of getting roasted, she may have been able to throw a flame or two but nowhere near the bonfire in which Maleficent could when she was angry.

After successfully terrifying the rodents and making them flee on the blondes recommendation. Regina wandered back inside she knew it was close to dinnertime by the way her stomach was internally telling her, and so made her way to get cleaned up as her face were lined with dirt from where she had given chase. She passed Rosalyn who smiled at her and made a gesture for her to hurry up as she passed her by.

She ran to her room and barreled through happy that the older witch wasn't around as she would have surely complained before hurrying to the small bowl on the other side and after washing her face taking care to get all the dirt off she yanked off her shirt and threw it aside before snagging a new one from the bedside and pulling it over her head, narrowly avoiding toppling over before rushing out the door again.

She rushed all the way down before coming to a halt outside the large doors. Taking a breath she pushed on the door and slipped inside as she looked around to the room empty as she shrugged and made her way to the large table. She threw herself down into the nearest seat and waited.

The doors opened once more five minutes later as she looked upon the two servers who entered as they made their way to the table. They smiled at the little girl who waved back before they busied themselves with serving dinner. Regina watched them intensely as they set they set the food down her eyes never leaving the covered dish in front of her, ever since she had been old enough to digest proper food, she had bullied Maleficent into giving her a bit of hers one day with the blonde giving up after much pestering.

She watched the young girl nibble at the deer only to find something inside had awoken – seemingly from that single bite and ever since then she had a craving for deer much like the blonde – who knew it was to be expected and so only mildly protested when she stole the rest of it.

She tapped her hands excitedly on the side of the table much to the mirth of the other two women who had watched her from the corner of their eyes. Once they had set everything out they left the small girl to it as Regina gives them a fleeting glance before her focus turned back to the food in front of her.

She sits like she is supposed to. And waits for the blonde to arrive, which normally she would have by now except that she is late and by proxy, making Regina hungrier, she taps the top of the table again trying to restrain from reaching out but that little voice in her head, weirdly enough it sounds like an angry goblin with a cold… she imagines is telling her to just take it.

It's right there in front of them what was she waiting for? She deliberated over taking its advice and just reaching out. After all, it is going in her mouth soon enough why was she holding back. But something was… something older, much more powerful and were called Maleficent.

It wasn't out of authoritative respect, though she did fully respect the blonde witch long enough to withhold from pouncing. This was different – it felt more… primal.

It had confused her and on asking the Faerie she had been told that it was 'just the way it went' she didn't question it further.

Didn't stop her from being hungry though

Finally after another five minutes the door opened which the younger girl was thankful for because any longer and the blonde would have walked in on a half eaten deer as the older woman walked into the room. Regina watched as she fluidly made her way to the table and gave her a smile before taking the seat opposite her,

"Sorry I'm late"

She slid into her chair and missed the impatient eye roll from the little girl. "Had a last-minute task that needed attending to"

Regina nodded not really caring. All her attention now was aimed on the dishes in front of them as Maleficent retrieved her cup and wine. Another reason why Regina wouldn't eat first is because the blonde always served first… again something that just went and at times she grumbled but didn't argue as she sat patiently one more.

Eventually after what seemed like half an hour of sitting when she first arrived. They finally got down to eating the silence of the hall soon cut with the sound of knives and forks scraping across the plates as the blonde cast a quick glance to the younger girl who was cutting her deer with all the ferocity of if she was eating it with claws.

They may have been one half primitive beasts but the other was still somewhat human and so they were going to have manners like them.

"I am sorry about the curtains" The Faerie paused mid bite to look back to her as Regina smiled sheepishly her own fork lodged in her mouth and nodded her head once.

"It's fine… just as long as you don't do it again." She lowered her fork before carrying on. "If not for me for the servers, they are here because they want to be not because they are obligated; they could leave anytime they choose. Do you wish to see them leave?"

The younger girl shook her head, she liked the help. They played with her when she were bored or allowed her to watch them.

"Then it's important to know that it's not ok to go around ruining their hard effort. As I have said they don't have what we have… it's harder for them then it is for us so please, think about them next time"

The raven haired girl nodded fully intending to listen and take to heart what she had said. She would make it so they would never leave… they were too much fun. The older witch smiled before getting back to her dinner as they fell into silence once more.

Maleficent cast one final glance to her young counterpart and thought about her time here. She had been right those years ago, life certainly hadn't been boring and she had found herself not regretting her choice to take her in… after some serious contemplating the first time she set fire to something that was.

But she had found herself growing accustomed to her face and presence over time until eventually it just became the norm to see a child running about the huge and foreboding castle. She had also provided the blonde with some much-needed companionship, though that was said with reluctance

She may have been steadfast in her saying that she was fine and content in her solitude… help otherwise excluded, but since she had spent the last five years with Regina she had found herself forming a fond attachment to her, dare she say it… something akin to love.

She might have said silence was her best friend, but there really was no counting the company of another person… especially when that person just happened to share in the same talent as oneself.

Besides, apart from Ingrid and the other members of the small group of severs. She was all Regina had ever known… she was under no illusions that she was the first person she had ever saw, but she definitely was the first person to have stayed with her for more than a week without casting her aside.

The little girl needed her, and in some way… she had appreciated what Regina had done for her.

Her path of failed revenge might not have been what she had hoped but she had found herself on a new one with Regina walking it with her,

And she found that she was curious to see where it led.


	7. A Promise Of New Adventures

**Back again.**

**Sorry it has been slightly late. I hardly ever get a chance to update anymore so I am forced to keep awake at nights to try and catch up, so if this is not up to standards or indeed has mistakes then I'm sorry.**

**I would like to thank everyone that commented on the last chapter, glad you liked it I was trying to capture what their moment's might have been like as I can picture Maleficent trying to keep a child Regina from misbehaving and failing, badly, so I am pleased to know I got it right.**

**Hope you enjoy reading this next chapter, and as always if it's not to much trouble - spare a few seconds to tell me what you thought. **

**I shall leave it here but happy reading. :)**

* * *

"Thought I would find you here"

Regina lifted her head from where it had been resting on her hands to find the blonde standing behind her. She shrugged and went back to staring at the lake where she had lain along the shallow bank. The blonde looked down to where the young girl had casually brushed her off. Normally she would have strung a person up for such a blatant dismissal and with Regina she wouldn't have taken it lightly, but given the circumstances she harboured a guess at – she would allow a bit of leeway.

But only a little

Regina was nine now and for the past few weeks had been nothing but a pain in the Faeries arse. She was moody, disrespectful, sarcastic – more so than normal and seemed a little angry at everything. The blonde had no idea what was causing it and as she stated before wasn't a people person, had dealt with it the only way she knew how, which was why Ingrid entered the great hall one morning to find them embroiled in a yelling match.

Regina had once again been answering back and questioning why things went the way they did, meaning why was Maleficent always in charge – why did she get first option of everything and so on, it had grated on her nerves and seeing as she had woken with a headache the younger girl wasn't making it any better, and so with that and the slight unsettling feeling she had been having, the dark witch fell back on old habits that she had enjoyed long before the arrival of the raven haired girl.

She snapped.

Hence why the older server had to wait hesitantly for only a few seconds before intervening, she saw the twitch on the Faeries face and knew she was close to lashing out. And if she did then it wasn't a server she would strike like before it would have been Regina so quickly she moved to step in between the warring pair and very gently laid and hand on the girl's shoulder.

"The weather is wonderful outside. Why don't you go for a walk around the lake?" She suggested looking down to the stony faced girl, Regina was mad… she had no idea where it came from but the red-hot anger just boiled inside and she felt her ire going towards the other witch. She aimed it at her - wanting a fight. She had seen the blonde's normally calm exterior crack just a little with her goading and though she wasn't stupid enough to think she could have taken her on and won, she just felt she had to.

She looked to Ingrid whose face was still a picture of calm but the hand on her shoulder that was tense and squeezing slightly told her different. It told her to follow her advice and so with a small look to the dark Faerie who had been facing the other way but could tell by her posture and deep breathing, she was struggling to rein her temper, she nodded her acquiescence before turning and leaving.

Once she had left Ingrid turned to the still stiff women next to her, "Are you ok Mistress?"

Maleficent had tried to hold in her vexation for as long as the argument had been going on, her mood and the fire that had fueled it only growing. She had tried so hard not to retaliate to the younger girls taunts but it had been hard, she was thankful for the older server to have arrived when she had otherwise she didn't quite know what she would have done, but the repercussions for Regina wouldn't have been good.

So with calm and labored breaths she didn't reply for a few more seconds before nodding. She turned to face the other woman who was watching her with concern and nodded once more.

"I am fine – just Regina being a brat as usual," Ingrid nodded once more a thoughtful look on her face.

"Mistress – if I may, Regina is nine now isn't she?"

The blonde nodded though if she were honest. She hadn't really been paying all that close attention to age. Having been well into the triple digits with her own… time has a way of just melding, but she just went with it as Ingrid continued.

"Well children at this age normally tend to be moody." Maleficent raised a brow

"Oh?"

The other woman nodded. "Yes – I have been around children near enough my whole life. I have seen them at all ages and this is nothing to worry about."

Her words caused the Faerie to snort unladylike earning a curious look from Ingrid as she shook her head, "It's not me that has to worry." She faced the door where Regina had slammed it on her way out as a dark look crossed her face.

"If she carries on like this then she will soon learn her folly."

"Do not be harsh on her, life is – as it always has been – a difficult road to travel, and certain aspects change. Surely you can remember how you were like at that age?"

She couldn't actually, all she could remember about her younger years was being surrounded by the other faeries as they learnt their magic together; it had been a good point in her life right up until the betrayal, then after it was rage – anger, pain and a hell of a lot of hurt. She cleared her throat and nodded a little.

"Of course"

"Although…" It was said under her breath and more to herself but she heard it as she looked back to see another thoughtful look on her face.

"What?"

Ingrid looked; startled at not having realized she had been heard as the blonde waited. "It's nothing really mistress… just a little puzzling that's all."

"I repeat - what?"

"It's just… well – I know that being a child, a girl – especially, they do tend to act out for reasons I am sure you know." Maleficent nodded.

"But from what I have seen with some of the children from my village… it shouldn't be for another three or so more years."

The blonde lifted her head a little at this. "So what your saying is – that it's too young for Regina to be acting out like she is?" Ingrid paused at her question before nodding, more certain of her answer

"Yes."

The witch looked down in thought at her words. So if age wasn't a reason in why Regina was acting out then something else must have been the cause. And she had a pretty good idea as to what that was. As if thinking along the same lines Ingrid faced her Mistress once more.

"Do you think?"

Maleficent lifted her eyes back to her, "Do you think that possibly her… uniqueness might be what's causing her behavior."

Of course by now everyone in the castle had come to learn about Regina's special gift. At least one point or another they had found out the hard way when she had been in one of her moods and she had growled at them… lately though she seemed to have taken that to a whole new level which was why the blonde felt she might have had a point.

Which was why she found herself out by the lake later that day, she had decided to allow the younger girl time to cool off… as well as her own anger needing to die down if she were to engage in conversation. She idly looked about before waving her hand as a chair appeared before sitting down. She might have been willing to sit outside but no way in hell was she sitting in dirt, she would leave that to the girl who seemed to have no issue with it.

"Feeling better"

Her response was a shrug of indifference causing the blonde to grit her teeth. By now she would have just gone back to the castle and be done with this as she knew it was going to be a tiresome effort but the words of Ingrid stuck in her head and knowing this a situation only she could see to, had to stick it out.

"I know that… things must be strange."

Regina, still lying on the ground, twisted her head a little to face the blonde who was staring out over the calm waters. "You feel… weird, out of sorts… like nothing is ever fair."

Now having turned more fully to face her, the younger girl watches her face intently as Maleficent went on to describe how she felt exactly, never realizing that she was revealing a little about her own feelings once upon a time.

"According to Ingrid it's to be expected of young girls…" She didn't tell her that it wasn't for another three years that was as the younger girl sat up on her knees. "So if you feel the need to talk to anyone… go to Ingrid."

There she had finished what she could only have called it to be the worst conversation of her very long life. She fidgeted in her seat and looked to the younger girl who was a picture of confusion, but nodded anyway.

Sniffing lightly Maleficent turned back to face the front and stared out over the peacefulness of the waters. It was a few minutes later that she vaguely became aware of a pair of eye looking at her and so turned back.

"What"

Regina bit her lip. Now that the first half of what she had felt had, well… not really been sorted out but had more of an explanation them, she felt slightly better inside which could not be said for how her body felt.

It ached. Her entire body felt like it was conspiring against her, as her bones and muscles felt like they had been set alight. She had woken up like that and had done for the past few days, she had thought it because she had been running about everywhere and fallen a few times… once down a steep slope so just blamed that…

But it didn't feel like that any longer.

It had gotten worse and at one point she had actually taken a running jump into the lake to try to cool down her heat riddled body, she had then thought it be an illness or some sort. And that she would just let it pass, but knew that if she was feeling sick then she had to tell someone and now the older witch was looking at her and waiting for her to speak.

"I don't know what it is. But I ache."

"Ache" Regina nodded.

"Ache like how? Stomach aches because like I said see Ingrid for that-" She stopped on seeing her shake her head. "No, it's more… my whole body,"

Turning in her seat the blonde looks more closely as Regina speaks. This was what the other server had hinted at and now as she spoke about what she was feeling it seemed that she was right.

"My body feels like it's on fire it hurts and feels like my bones are trying to break free." She sighs heavily and looks downwards to the ground. She doesn't see Maleficent looking at her; she doesn't see the thoughtful pondering on her face or the calculating look as she narrows her eyes. As Ingrid was saying Regina was coming up to her preteen years, and so along with any changes that brought, it also meant given her current situation – it also brought about more symptoms.

She had changed forms fully for the first time when she had been… well if she could remember right. Around the same age as the younger girl had been now - maybe a little younger but that was because unlike Regina – she had been born like that and not the result of a curse.

She could remember the same feelings very well and so knew that if her Dragon was anything like the blondes then it was only a matter of time before it made more of an appearance. She eyed the smaller girl who had lain back on the ground and shuffled a little. Her mind working on how to help her, to alleviate her pain… it wasn't everyday she thought about others or was in the habit of starting, but she could sympathize with her in this and so wanted to.

If not for her own experiences but also for the comtinuation of peace in the castle

"How are you feeling now?"

She refrained from rolling her eyes again and tried hard to keep her annoyance off her face seeing as the blonde had asked nicely, given she was at her near limit a mere hour ago, and looked back at her.

"Ok"

"Just ok" She turned her head a little to see the dubious look the older woman was giving her. "Yeah"

"So… everything's fine… your bones no longer feeling like breaking free of your body." Regina shrugged a little and mumbled under her breath. "Well yeah… there's that."

As if to further extenuate her point she lifted her hand and rubbed her throbbing shoulder before turning back to the water silently wondering if that would help once more as Maleficent studied her for a few more seconds before standing.

"I'll be back later"

The younger girl looked back to her as she brushed a spec of imaginary dust from her robe. "Something I have to find." Before she disappeared in a flash of blue surrounding her leaving the girl by herself. Seeing the last of the blue fog clear she turned back to the lake and settled down once more as she let out a small wistful sigh as the sun shone brightly overhead.

It wasn't that she loved the grounds surrounding the castle. In fact in the summer they were one of her all-time favourite places to be. Exploring the forest and being by the waters seemed to soothe her more rasher tendencies according to the blonde and she was inclined to agree as even now she felt a lot more mellowed. Come winter it was a hazardous death trap, snow covering every inch of the ground and Rocky Mountains behind them.

But even then she found herself enjoying the scenery. The frozen lake and the frosted covered trees, it was all still amazing to her no matter the seasons.

But lately it wasn't enough. Lately she had found herself wanting to go beyond what she had already known. She had explored the grounds to the point of knowing which tree she had climbed and consequently fallen from down to how many scratches the bark had. She wanted to go further and see what was out there.

But she didn't know how that would go with the blonde. She had noticed the Faerie never left her castle. And if she did it was with great reluctance. It seemed she had closed herself off permanently from the outside world, and apart from those who lived in or near the castle she was content to keep it that way.

But she couldn't really expect her to do the same could she? Stick in one place… it wasn't like she had any plans on leaving, she was nine after all. No all she wanted to do was just go and see what was out there.

Surely the older witch could see the logic in that.

"Absolutely not"

Regina opened her mouth to protest but stopped as she grimaced slightly as another flash of heat ran across her body as Maleficent glanced at her; before she knew it Regina had a small bottle almost shoved into her face.

"Drink this."

She took the bottle gingerly and held it up trying to inspect its contents. "What is it?"

"Nothing to mess about with. Just drink it and stop fussing." She looked back to the older woman who had with a wave of her hand cleared the potions she had concocted before turning back to her. She arched a brow in her direction as Regina saw the expectant look before sighing and undid the top before sniffing the insides and shuddering.

"Just drink it."

"But it's so"

"JUST DRINK IT!"

She threw it back as she swallowed the lot and nearly gagged as she let it slide down her throat. Maleficent smiled in satisfaction both in getting her to drink it and seeing her squirm.

'_Teach her to shout at me next time'_

"What the hell was that?" She spat and tried to take the vile taste away by wiping her tongue on her shirt much to the distaste of the blonde next to her, she turned around and motioned for her to follow as they left her small potions room and back down the hall.

"Just a little something to take the pain away."

She had expected the small snort of disbelief and so didn't say anything in reply merely kept her brisk pace as Regina jogged to keep up. "Can I still go out?"

"No"

"But why" They stop at the end of the hall as the blonde turns to her. A little surprised at hearing the slightly petulant whine coming from the younger girl; in all her years here it really did feel like she had been talking to an adult… a tiny one but still an adult. Now looking upon the pouting face it hits her at just how still childlike she is.

"Because I said" She is about to turn but a muttering has her looking back. "Why, you're not my mother."

"Your right." Regina looked back to her "I'm not… just a person who had looked after you all these years and has finally gotten used to you being around."

"Really? After all this time." The blonde nods.

"Yes, at first I thought you a pet or something amusing to look at." Regina rolls her eyes. "But now that you've been here longer then what any animal normally would do here… I will be dammed if I let you go out there now only to get hurt."

The younger girl's brow crinkled slightly in confusion at her words as she turns and makes her way back down the hall and she runs after her once more.

"Why? What's out there?"

They come to a stop at the large staircase as the other woman looks back down to her. "Just… bad things. Do well to remember this, not everyone is as nice and gracious as the people in here. Man would kill another man for the things they covet… women overcome by silly emotions such as envy and pettiness, willing to shame another just for the satisfaction at seeing them suffer."

She turned to face her fully, leaning on her staff as she makes sure she had Regina's full attention. "The people out there are cruel and frankly you'd be better off not setting foot where they dwell, little rats squandering their lives – many of which have tried to come and kill me."

She sees the shocked look on her face and knew that she should have worded it better but why should she? She wasn't in the mood nor had the patience of making things sweet and nice in order to appease others. It was how she was and always will be. Besides Regina would soon come to learn as she grew older just how easy betrayal comes on the outside world should she choose to ignore her advice.

"Really?" The Faerie nods

"Oh yes, many have tried with the intention of slaying the beast that resides here… all in the name of glory or greed that has taken hold, so that they could be called a hero for killing something that had no inclination of ever bothering with them just so they could be looked upon with revere and awe."

She eyes her for a few seconds longer. "I, as you know, have zero fondness for any… present company excluded." She muttered much to Regina's glee.

"I only tell you this because it seems that you like the company of others… and so would most likely talk to anyone of hopes of making friends with them. I warn you against that dear, you may think me heartless but you have no idea just what that means if people knew who you really were."

She moves down the stairs leaving the younger girl to look on after her. She waits as the blonde disappeared and continues long after she had gone before turning and making her way back to her room. Clearly something had happened in her life. Something bad to have made her sneer at humanity the way she did.

She didn't know a lot about the blonde. Only what the Faerie deigned to tell her when the mood struck and she was feeling nostalgic. But soon after a dark look always crossed her face and quickly any and all conversation about her life before Regina had entered soon shut down leaving no room for argument.

To be honest she didn't want to know. At first she did, call it natural curiosity but soon that faded when she realized the other witch wasn't susceptible to her nagging as the others were and so her interest soon waned in favor of play, she made it to her room and pushed open her door letting it bang back on the wall as she waved her hand as an afterthought, moving to the window as the door behind her shut.

She lent on her elbows and rested her head on her arms as she looked out the window, letting out a small sigh of contemplation. She trusted Maleficent she really did, and wouldn't go against anything she advised. But she so wanted to go out there – to see what it was like.

To play.

She was to have a tutoring lesson later to try to control her magic since it was getting to out of hand thereby prompting the dark witch to all but force her to attend. But what she really wanted was to leave.

She was feeling… how could she put it? Restless – on edge… even more so than normal, and added to her already pressing issue with how her body was it was beginning to weigh on her, she had seen the irony in that… not even ten and she had one hell of a problem that no adult would ever know. Turning she left the window and threw herself on her bed, maybe a nap would help.

"Regina"

She scrunched her face but didn't open her eyes as she turned over.

"Regina"

She lifted her hand lazily and batted at the air as if hoping her non-existent hit would drive the voice away.

"REGINA!"

The sudden change in pitch had her opening her eyes immediately. She shot up from her spot on the bed, not realizing in her sleep she had turned over and shrieked when she lost her balance and went tumbling to the stone floor. She groaned as her back hit the cold concrete and lay there for a few seconds. She lifted her head a few seconds later to see the culprit and glared at the amused smirk looking down at her.

"Sorry dear, couldn't help it – you looked so peaceful."

The younger girl growled before huffily clambering to her feet and faced the pleased woman. "Happy?"

The older witch tilted her head a little. "For now"

The smaller girl brushed down her clothes in a manner mimicking the blonde. "What"

"You're late for your lesson. I got worried." She stopped her brushing and lifted her head, her face a little scrunched at her words.

"You – worried."

They faced off until the blonde smirked letting the pretense fall. "You were late. You kept me waiting. You know I hate to be kept waiting."

"Of course… " She hefted herself to her feet seeing as the older woman wouldn't dare lend a hand and followed her out the door.

"Focus Regina"

Maleficent stood at the other side of the clearing and watched as the younger girl grit her teeth but refocused her efforts and magic on the task she had been set. She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them and with a deep breath. Directed her magic at the fallen tree as she felt it leave her and like a cat - slink its way over to the downed trunk as it wrapped its tendrils around the large object before gripping it tight within its grasp.

"Good, now lift it up."

Pulling as much as she could to the forefront of her body. She pushed it out and allowed it to roam as the magical energy swept over the clearing, engulfing all in its path including the blonde who had to brace herself slightly as it washed over her on its way to its target. She smiled a few seconds later when the tree – now completely overcome by the younger girl's magic, lifted from the ground.

Regina smiled widely as they both watched the tree hover from the floor. She instructed her to keep it above her knee for as long as she could and was pleased to see that she could now keep it up for more than 90 seconds before she dropped it.

"Rest for a moment"

Regina nodded breathlessly and was grateful for the water the blonde conjured as she took a seat next to her, "You're getting better"

The younger girl smiled silently before swallowing the water she had in her mouth. "Thank you."

"If only your fire work was as good." She threw in and laughed at the sideways dark look she got in response. "… It's getting better"

"It is" She concedes as they allow the silence to wash over them. Once Regina has finished her water it's not long before the Faerie has them back working on her magic once more. This time on her immobilization techniques and nothing worked better than scaring the hell out of her, which was why she took great enjoyment in waving her hand and tossing the recently abandoned tree at the unsuspecting girl and watching her stumble back before her magic reacted.

Raised fear levels really were an excellent teacher and motivator.

They kept up the lesson a little while longer, going over all that she had taught her before calling it a day. She had been impressed with the level of skill she had. Of course she always had the power in her, it had been a nuisance at first… so much damage, but once she had gotten it under control she found the younger girl really was a remarkably capable and very powerful witch.

Maybe an even greater sorceress.

They made their way back up to the castle. Not bothering to use magic to transport back. The last of the hot weather was making itself known and so they chose not to waste it as they walked by the waters. They moved through the halls as Maleficent talked a little about what magic they would be learning next as she wanted her to try to work on her elemental side some more as Regina nodded.

They parted ways at the end of the corridor as the younger girl ran back to her room. No matter how many lessons she had she always felt tired at the end of them as she rushed into her room to wash and change. But she guessed it was how the Faerie did things – didn't teach by half... especially not when it came to magic.

She changed her clothes before running back out the door taking care to shut it properly as she noticed the slight indent at the back of the door and hoped that no one would notice before taking off back down the hall.

There was only one thing that could make her run around at a time when all she felt like doing was going to sleep.

Dinnertime.

She avoided running into a few people along the way as she made her descend downwards until at last she came to the great hall. She smiled and pushed on the large wooden doors before sneaking inside and taking her seat next to the blonde who had already gotten there before her. She smiled out of courtesy as they waited for the servers who came in minutes later.

Regina waited expectantly for them to leave as Maleficent served first once more. She looked down to her plate and her nose wrinkled at the food which wasn't the deer like she were accustomed to.

"What's this?"

The older woman looked to her as she watched her poke at the new meat and rolled her eyes before replying. "I thought we might try something new."

Regina lifted her eyes from the table. "Why"

"Because."

"Why"

"I said so."

"Yeah, but why?"

"Because if I _have_ to keep feeding you, then I have to find an alternative." She looked back to her own plate.

"Only knows how much deer you've eaten… almost ran the population extinct." She stopped listening to her complaints and looked back to the pink colored meat and gave it another poke.

"So what is it."

"Pork"

"What now" That earned another sigh.

"It's a pig dear, it comes from a pig… so shut up and just eat it."

She frowned but did as she were told as she picked up her fork and very gently poked it some more before scooping some up and nibbling at the sides.

'_Better save a few pigs'_

She chuckled as the younger girl found another new favorite as she dove on the pork. Dinner finished a lot quicker than normal as the raven haired girl cleaned her plate resisting the urge to lick it clean as she waited for Maleficent, who was a lot more controlled when it came to eating to finish hers off before she could leave the table.

Eventually the servers came back and took away the used dishes as the blonde stood from her seat replacing it with that her throne like chair across the other side as Regina to stood. She watched as the other woman took her seat and conjured the book she had been reading before settling back and carried on from her page.

"I'm going to go back to my room now."

The older woman gifted her with a partial glance before humming her reply. It was good enough for the younger girl as she turned and made her way out of the room. It was evening now and so she usually ended up staying in her rooms until bed. She took her time on the journey back. She learnt her lesson the first time of rushing around straight after eating and nearly threw up much the Faeries horror as her screams nearly tore the castle down.

It was a good day.

She pushed on her door and closed it behind her locking it as she made her way to her bed. She changed into her night-clothes before moving back to the window. The sun had gone completely now as it turned from light to dark, the moon hadn't come up just yet and so she sat on the ledge looking out to the calm waters.

Tomorrow, she decided, would be the day she went out and explored the outside fully. If she were careful and went in the morning then the blonde would never know she went against her wishes. She smiled happy with her plan before sliding off and over to her bed as she burrowed under the cover and picked up her book she had swiped from the older woman.

As she settled down she couldn't help the small smile that crossed over her face.

She had a feeling that the next day would be a good one.

When was she ever wrong?


	8. New Friend's

**Next chapter up,**

**Thought I would try and get through as many of my stories as I could seeing as it was the bank holiday... I only managed this one chapter out of the whole day, :/ fail.**

**But here it is and hopefully you'll all like. Thank you to the person that nicely commented last chapter. I am glad its one of your favorites... hope it continues to be.**

**I am trying to get to at least 20 reviews before I get to chapter ten on this story so if anyone kind enough to help me achieve that I shall love you all forever. **

**As always - don't own OUAT **

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The next morning and after breakfast, Regina took off as fast as she could for the outside grounds but not before throwing a wave over her shoulder when she heard Maleficent shout to her about their magic lesson later that day, the blonde watched her jump down the stone steps and out the doors before rolling her eyes and turned to leave the room.

Making her way down the familiar trail Regina makes sure that she is visible from the window lest somebody decided to look out. She had to make sure that people saw her loitering about so that she were covered. Coming to a stop at the small path she turns and makes her way South instead of West that would have led her to the lake. She had only ever been this way a few times seeing as it led further to the Mountains and which the blonde had told her to stay away from.

That was then and she did as she asked. This was now – and it was her destination.

She followed the gradually narrower track that went from earthy to more gravelly as she came to another smaller clearing as she spied the large Mountains just up ahead before hurrying on with her journey. Eventually after fifteen minutes of stumbling and hissed words as she scraped her knees along the rough surfaces. Her path led her to a small bush that was sitting innocently along the gate lines as she smiled and moved closer.

She had never told anyone of her earlier explorations and more so when it had led her to the discovery of a small opening that had been concealed underneath a bush that led to the outside. She hadn't dared go further for fear of getting lost and as per the older woman's wishes. She crawled the rest of the way and shuffled closer, nudging her way past the thick branches taken hold in the ground before she had to push herself the rest of the way.

A few fidgets and angry growls later, she rolls out the other side and takes a small tumble-down the hill. She doesn't move from where she comes to a stop and just looks up at the sky, before pushing herself up on her elbows and takes a look around her new scenery. It was pretty much the same as on the other side of the gate as she lifted herself from the floor before a smile creeps over her face.

On the other side of the gate

She had done it, gotten out. And so with another look at large castle that stood behind the huge looming barrier, she laughs and takes off down the hill. She doesn't stop walking/running until she gets to flatter ground, coming to a stop she takes a look back and was surprised to see just how far she has gotten and brokers a guess she is halfway down before turning and carrying on her way.

Her path leads to her the forest as she stops for the third time and takes a long look at the towering mass of trees that lay just a few feet ahead. She knew now she was in territory far beyond that of the Faeries… well at least she thinks but as far as she knows the blonde had never taken an interest in the forest below them, only to gloat and laugh when people got stuck there and never to come out.

She idly wonders if she would be one of those that – if she went in would never return and that has her hesitating a little. But dismisses it as she knows she could find her way back out. As much as a nine-year old could be cocky, she did pride herself a good navigator and has always been able to work her way around the grounds of the castle.

Sure this may not have been said castle and looked as daunting as it did huge. She was still confident and so with that she makes her way closer and keeps going until she disappears from sight. Inside she takes everything she passes in great detail; she had never been surrounded by so many trees and so doesn't want to miss anything from the plants to the different looking trees, down to the animals that lived there.

This was so much better than the grounds that she had been limited to wander as she slides down a small bank and lands in a large pile of leaves at them bottom. Why Maleficent didn't want her to go here she had no idea but she was glad she did and so stood as the sound of running water catches her attention and she takes off in the direction as she comes out behind the tall trees to see a stream.

She eyes the rushing torrent of water before spying a small ledge and so sits down letting her feet dangle over the side and peered very carefully over the edge to see her reflection. A while later sees her lying on her stomach as the fish she had been watching had caught her attention and so settled down to look at them for a while before realizing they had been making her hungry and so decided to get one.

She belly shuffles further to the edge never taking her eyes off the squiggling water dwellers and with a careful eye. Which she had to admit had been far better in recent months then what it ever had been before – she plunges her hand into the water and emerges victorious as a struggling fish is held tight within her clutches. She smiles happily before edging back away from the water and places it on the ground.

She sits and watches it flap madly on the floor, it flips and squirms but slowly they fall until only light twitches are left before it still altogether. She waits until she can sense its death before picking it back up, she looks at the limp creature in her hand before starting to walk again. She walks until she finds a small flat surface and places the fish in the middle before kneeling down next to it.

She may have had breakfast not only an hour ago she finds she is still hungry… something happening more and more as the days go on and so with her hand, she holds it over the dead body as her palm heats up and a small light flickers into life. She lowers it over the body as it starts to glow brighter – she watches as the heat from the flame in her hand slowly starts to cook the fish underneath until she can smell its skin sizzling.

She keeps her hand over it until the sound can finally be heard before she pulls it back and looks down at the now perfectly cooked fish. She smiles at her catch as a small voice inside her head tells her that she doesn't have to share it with anybody as she picks it up and starts to nibble on it, a few minutes later and one small pile of fish bones neatly tucked in the corner, she sets off again on her adventure.

She ventures further into the forest. Listening to the birds calling to one another and the small creatures running about as they went about their day, she smiles as she walks following the stream downwards until coming to a little bank along the side of the stream. She stops on seeing footprints in the watery sand and wonders who else would be this far deep in the forest as she goes and sits on the small mound hill just above unaware of the eyes that had been watching her.

She lies down on the grass and looks to the sky, the bright blue color clear on the hot summer's day and sighs. It was all very well and good making her escape – being able to explore unknown land was exciting… for a while.

But it was missing something. She sighed again and dragged herself into a sitting position. Having the time to have been able to do what she wanted might have seemed like a dream come true… but she didn't feel it.

She leant back on her hands and looked around where she was. She watched the birds flapping about as they frittered two and from trees following each other before it came to her

Friends

She didn't have any.

She may have had people to talk to but none her age. Even the servers – yes she had them to keep her company but they were still all older than her and Maleficent – well she didn't even need to think her kid conscientious… apparently it was goodwill of her that Regina was there and so she brushed that thought off. She looked on at the frolicking birds a little forlornly, her attention focused on the happy animals in front of her that she never heard the sound of footstep's creeping up behind her.

She finds herself flying forwards as something heavy and fast barrels into her from behind and she – along with whoever, go tumbling down the hill until they land in on the sandy bank near the water. Regina spluttered partly in shock and partly because she had wet sand in her mouth turns over to try to find what it was that hit her only to find her body pinned to the ground by the force.

She squirms trying to move but finds it impossible as a small growl has her stopping and looking up, it was another body and so she was right in her thinking that it was a second person but she couldn't see for the long hair that was covering their face as she narrows her eyes trying to look only to have another growl directed at her and so resumes her squirming.

"It's no use"

She freezes again at the sound of the speaker and was shocked to find it's a girl. She tries again and gets a tighter grip on her hands for her efforts. The other young girl looks down at her smugly as she struggles knowing it's pointless. It's always pointless no one can escape when she had them like this but it's amusing to watch.

"You can't beat me."

She pauses once more as she gets her breath and listens to the smug almost gleeful sound as she talks as that little voice inside is telling her to fight back, to show them that she isn't to be messed with and that – coupled with the gloating tone has her angry.

"You should just give up now." The other girl insists as she settles herself comfortably at the dark-haired girl's expense. Regina glares much to her delight but soon that's wiped from her face as the girl underneath uses her feet, planting them on her stomach and with one big kick. She throws the attacker off her easily as she sends her flying a little, landing harshly on the grass above.

Having been forcibly thrown off the other girl doesn't move from her landing spot. To in shock and a little pain to actually register what happened as Regina to lies in the watery sand for a moment taking in what had happened, but not for long as soon she is on her feet. She watches the other girl slowly move and a growl of her own escapes her throat her anger now having been provoked by the mystery assailant and now she was looking for a fight.

On hearing the second and different sound, the other girl immediately sits up, her side a little hurt but she looks on as Regina is now towering over her a glare that is oddly murderous for a nine-year old on her face and a light in her eyes blazing as it danced around her irises. All at once the other girl can tell a threat and a very big one is standing in front of her and so minding her bruising side, picks herself up and faces her.

They don't move as they take each other in. Assessing the other in a bid to try to decide who the bigger danger is. Regina's inner voice is telling her to just attack – go straight for the throat and not care about what happens. After all, it was she who had been struck first and that calls for vengeance. The other girl is more hesitant to try to do anything. Her senses are all up and on end as she can tell there is something about the other girl who is making her so skittish – make her want to run in the other direction and not look back.

But it's also her curiosity that makes her stay. As well as her underlying fear, she wants to know how it was that she threw her off. If anything she is a little miffed and so decides to break stance. She stands up straight and crosses her arms the new if not unintentional tactic confuses Regina a little which causes her to shift her defensive stance as she wearily watches the other girl.

"How did you do that?"

The question puzzles Regina who cocks her head to the side. Not knowing how to take the sudden change in moods as the brown-haired girl waits for her to answer. After a few minutes of not speaking she huffs impatiently.

"Can you even speak."

The second questions gets a response as the raven haired girl bristles at the implication and instead of pouting like she very much wants to, she raises herself a little higher and lifts her head.

"Of course I can speak."

"Oh"

They fall silent after she speaks with them both not knowing how to proceed. "So how did you do that?"

Regina looks back at her as her annoyance rises slightly on hearing the repeated question. She doesn't know what she is on about and so sneers.

"What are you on about."

The other girl points to the sandy bank from where they had their altercation. "There… you threw me off."

"So"

"No one had done that before." Getting tired by her one sentence conversations she sighs again.

"Point being" At the slightly affronted look she gets in response makes her think she has been listening to the dry cutting Faerie for too long if this was how she spoke to people.

"I mean… what do you mean? Your small like me."

She nods and her demeanour seems to change as she mumbles her next part. "When I used to play with children from the village they could never beat me."

Being the oddly perceptive person that a nine-year old can be she notices the way she talked about playing with them in a past tense. "So why don't you play with them now?"

As if her words have made her sadder, her face falls more before shaking her head. "They always run away once they realize I'm a freak."

Regina frowns at hearing her speak. She had never heard anyone call themselves freaks before. The older blonde was always saying that what they where should be revered, and so did the servers… so far she had yet to know what it was they were talking about but what the hell, she watched the other girl become despondent as she moved past her and went to sit on the grass. Regina followed her movements before moving after her.

She settled herself down next to her much to the other girl's confusion as she looked at her, the raven haired girl caught the questioning look before speaking.

"What"

"Well like you said. I threw you off, the only one to have done so – so if that makes me a freak to then I guess that means we have to stick together." She smiled at the other girl who seemingly had perked up on hearing that and turned a little to face her.

"You… you want to be my friend?"

Just hearing her sadness made her feel uncomfortable but she nodded nonetheless smiling, she had to bite back a shriek when the other girl flung herself across the small gap and sent them both tumbling once more. They landed once more in the sandy pit but this time she wasn't bothered or angry as laughter overtook them eventually the other girl shuffled back a little allowing Regina to sit up as she looked at her.

"What's your name?"

If this really was her first friend, something she was giddy at but wasn't going to show then she had to know her name. The other girl had sat up on her knees and faced her wearing a smile far bigger than her own before brushing her hair out of her face.

My names Ruby"

It was later in the evening when Regina found herself running for what seemed like her life back up the path to the castle at the top. She had a fantastic day with her new friend, they had been everywhere. Once they had established that they indeed were friends and not enemies… though the other girl did still smell weird. She took her to all of her favourite places in the forest.

Which was literally _all _the forest

And was the reason Regina was legging it back as fast as she could. She had lost track of time and when she had realized it…

She had leapt up like a scalded cat much to Ruby's confusion once she saw the sun just passed the halfway line in the sky before turning to her new friend and saying she had to leave. The other girl was sad but nodded understanding as soon she would be called in soon. She stood and gave her a hug before watching as she ran the other way down the stream and back the way she came.

Panting and feeling her legs burn like nothing before. She comes to a stop at the small gap in the gates and wriggled through falling flat on her back and was feeling rather content to stay there forever, but knew that she had to get up and finish the rest of the way so begrudgingly got up and carried on moving. Eventually she managed to find her way to the lake where her legs gave out and she tumbled to the ground, this time not even bothering to try to move.

Her mind drifted a little on thoughts about whether it would be within her best interest to declare herself an outdoors person now… and if so then she had found a new spot of residence. She closed her eyes willing her pounding heart to slow never noticing the blue cloud that had materialized behind her.

"Having fun dear?"

Maleficent winced when the startled shriek pierced the silence and she unwrinkled her face after a few seconds to find Regina had flipped over like said startled cat and was staring up at her. The blonde smoothed out her dress and looked down at her.

"How did you?... wha?"

The blonde chuckled and before she knew it a blue cloud engulfed her and she found them back in the hall of the castle. She looked around to see the older woman moving back to her chair.

"How did you know I was there?"

She sat as the younger girl tagged after her coming to a stop on front of her chair as the Faerie looked to her. "I sensed you,"

"Sensed me?"

"Hmm - mmm" Regina looked at her shrewdly. "How"

"Magical signatures" On seeing the blank look the older woman groaned… how did they not go over this for the millionth time.

"When two people or creatures have magic or are magical… they have signatures that surround them. A bit like an aura, it shows to another, tells them where they are or how powerful they can be… lets them know whether it's worth it or not to fight them."

The younger girl stood there and listened as she explained giving her a lot to think about before the blonde came to a stop. "Got it?"

She nodded. "Good"

It was quiet again before Maleficent glanced at her before. "So, did you have a good time out there"

The younger girl looked back at her, it was clear the older woman knew and so had no point in denying it, so sighing she nodded. "I did thank you,"

"Good"

It fell silent again as Regina bit her lip. "Are you mad?"

The Faerie lifted her head back up and smirked at the apprehensive look Regina wore and inwardly took amusement from it before shrugging.

"No"

"…No" She shook her head,

"No… well at first when I realized that once again you were late and had kept me waiting. That was before I couldn't feel you around the grounds, I had visions of me taking those curtain ties you called plait's and wrapping them around your throat.."

'_So much for family love'_

"But then I was told that wouldn't be advisable… nor very acceptable."

"By who"

"Ingrid"

The blonde glared at the small snort she let out.

"Big bad Maleficent scared by a mere maid."

The dark Faerie refrained from acting out her first fantasy and let the younger girl laugh. She kept up her glares though as Regina eventually stifled her giggles.

"So what did she say"

She waited for the answer as the blonde rolled her eyes before taking on a demeanor that Regina could only attribute to sulking as the Faerie sniffed a little before mumbling.

"She threatened to leave."

She snorted again.

"Soooo I can thank Ingrid for the sparing of my life because your too afraid to actually wash something for a change" The blondes head snapped up as her eyes narrowed in on her gleeful face.

"Do you know how hard it is to find good help? I could do it all by magic but why waste the energy… Besides, I don't think even magic could get those sheets as white as she can." She adjusted herself in the seat before pausing and lifting her head again, Regina eyed her weirdly as she seemed to sniff the air before frowning a little and sitting back down.

"Did you happen to meet anyone by chance today?"

She nodded slowly. "I did… why?"

She waited for her to speak as the older woman thought carefully over her next words… "And you… have no idea who she is."

The younger girl thought about it before shaking her head, "No… her name's Ruby"

"No I mean- never mind." But now her need to know had taken hold and she moved a little closer. The blonde watched her movements. "What are you doing."

"Tell me"

"No… why should I?"

"Tell me"

"Go away,"

"I'll sit on you." At that the faerie sat straighter, a frown appearing on her youthful face. "Like hell you will."

Regina pursed her lips and shrugged. "Alright then… tell me." Maleficent glared before dropping her head to her chest. How had it come to this? She used to be feared… adored, loathed… powerful, well she was still all those things but now she was all those added with the fact she was here sitting and arguing with a nine-year old.

What had her life become.

She opened her eyes again and lifted her head. "No, but this can be your new lesson given we didn't get around to having tonight." She gave her a pointed look in which she did have the grace to look sheepish at.

"Did you notice or sense anything weird today?" She asked as Regina crossed her arms and thought about it, now that she mentioned it she did find something a little off with her new friend, but seeing as it was her first friend… her own age she ever had, she didn't want to offend her by asking. But nodded and looked to her.

Maleficent nodded. At least her senses were sharp, before she carried on. "Well seeing as its clear you haven't a clue I am going to let you figure this one out all by yourself." A contumelious smile adorning her lips at the look of burgeoning protest forming on the younger girls face

"And when you have the answer come back to me and then I'll tell you why it might not be such a good idea to have her as a friend."

Regina stood still in front of her wondering about her last remark as it was clear the blonde had finished the conversation by the way she was waving her hand, she slowly turned around and made for the door leaving the older woman to what it was she was doing and slipped out into the hall.

Why would she say such a thing? Surely having made a friend the blonde would have been at least happy for her, in spite of her more introverted tendencies. She walked down the corridor mulling over just what was wrong with having Ruby as her friend. As far as she knew the other girl was harmless.

She kept questioning the blondes reasoning for saying it all the way to her room as she shut the door behind her and didn't come back out until dinner.


	9. The Change

New Chapter finally here.

Sorry it has been late... life, but its here at last... had to do this in the middle of breaks in work to get this done otherwise it would have just gone wayside and that is a no. Not this story... Like my little baby.

I want to say a huge thank you to those that helped me get to my target... Love you forever, see I said I would. :)

I hope you all enjoy this and as before if anyone has any comments they are always welcome and much loved.

And as I've said before I don't own OUAT.

Happy reading. :)

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Regina never did find out what was wrong with Ruby, not for a while anyway which left her blissfully free to play with her friend keeping note of the blondes warnings but pushing them to the back of her mind as they rolled about in the newly sprung grass fighting as they tried to one up the other. They fell down the small embankment before coming to a stop near the river where they had taken to sticking by laughing as they did.

For Ruby it was the best time of her life. She had never had this much fun with any of the other children, wouldn't have even – not that they wanted to ever play with her, but that didn't matter anymore. As the other dark-haired girl underneath used her feet to lift her up slightly and sent her sprawling over her head as the wolf girl landed in the fluffy patch of grass just behind her as she started laughing again as Regina soon followed.

They stayed like that for a while getting their breath as all their fighting had left them exhausted before Ruby rolled over on to her stomach to look at the olive-skinned girl who was staring up at the sky.

"How do you do it?"

Regina had looked up to the clouds that had been floating by and was trying to create pictures out of the shapeless masses of white fluffiness when she heard the other girl speak. Mimicking her actions until she rested on her elbows and looked at her...

"What do you mean?"

"When you go to the river, you always seem to get the fish, how?"

She waited for a reply as Regina shrugged. She didn't know. She just went and got them. Her eyesight was at the point where she could practically see the gills of the fish exhale as they swam by, she had no idea why it was but she found it cool and on asking the older woman the blonde merely gifted her with a shrug and said 'live with it' so never thought anything more of it.

But now her friend was looking expectantly at her waiting on an answer so she sat up a little and pursed her lips. I don't know… their just easy to catch. You just have to wait for them to come to you and then you nab them."

She smiled before looking back to her friend hoping her answer was suitable only to have it fall at the downcast expression Ruby wore.

What's the matter?"

The other girl looked to see Regina's concerned face and shook her head before moving to sit on her haunches as the other little girl followed suit. "You make it sound so easy and it _is_ for you… all you do is just stand there and wait. With me I can be there all day and only ever manage to succeed in nearly catching one."

Using her hands and knees she crawled over to the spot Ruby at before shuffling next to her as the other girl turned her head slightly.

"It doesn't have to be."

"What do you mean?" She picked at a flower pulling off its petals in her despondent mood as Regina rolled her eyes. "Fishing, it doesn't have to be… not if I tell you how."

She turned her head fully to the side on hearing her words and looked to see Regina's wide smile. "You… you would show me?" As her smile brightened on the happy nods of the other girl who jumped to her feet,

"Come on"

Grabbing her hands she hauled Ruby up right and runs off with the other girl watching her before quickly taking off after her as they run downwards towards the small lake at the bottom where the fish congregated as it was nearing migration as they started their journey upwards.

After instructing her on where to wait she watched as Ruby got into place. Her boots and bottom half of her pants getting soaked as she waded into the water. Looking up she smiled at the bright smile and eager nod as she looked back to the water and to the fish that were swimming around her legs.

"Just wait for them! Once one comes close enough grab it!" She nodded and waited, she eyed the water creatures as they swam about until she saw her chance. Reaching down, she plunged her hands into the cold water and struggled to get one as the sand lying on the bank kicked up a small cloud obscuring her vision.

Once it cleared she looked around only to find the fish had gone and her smile fell once more before she stood upright and looked at Regina whose face mirrored her own before deciding to join her, she jumped into the water not caring about the small splash it caused or her clothes getting wet as she waddled through the current and over to her friend.

"Watch"

Ruby did as she asked and watched the other girl, who dropped her head down as she faced the water, she stayed silent with only the sound of the water rushing by as the raven haired girl narrowed her eyes in anticipation – finally she dived down and with striking accuracy, emerged with a fish fully caught within her grasp as she held it up keeping a hold of its wriggling body.

"See – you just have to get the timing right." Ruby's face fell once more at her success first time round but was determined to get it right as she got back into position next to her, she had finally found a friend who could compete with her when it came to roughhousing, and didn't call her a freak and run off leaving her alone.

She wasn't going to be beat by her friend when it came to something as menial as fishing. Her Mother did it, her granny did it… if Regina could do it then so could she.

They were equals.

Copying her stance she crouched slightly so her knees bent a little before looking back down at the water. "Just keep focusing on the fish. Forget everything else."

Ruby did. She thought of nothing but the fish swimming by her as she watched their every movement. Regina stayed as still as she could and looked on when she dived, pouncing down and after a few seconds of splashing, raised triumphantly from the stream a newly caught fish struggling in her hand.

"I DID IT REGINA LOOK I DID IT!"

She turned to her friend the smile blinding on her face as the other girl laughed and nodded. "I knew you could."

Ruby looked back to the flapping fish held in her hand like it was the best prize she had ever won before glancing down to her drenched pants. "Think we should get out of here now?"

Regina nodded and looked to her own water sodden clothing before joining her friend in leaving. But not before snagging a fish of her own as she did. They moved back slowly into the clearing and back to the small cave like burrow that was the beginnings of their own little den. They had taken a few weeks to carve out a little hideaway for themselves and both were pleased with their achievements as Ruby chucked her fish at the other girl forcing her to catch it as she crawled through the small gap.

The raven haired girl glared, not happy at nearly having dropped her own in her haste to catch the second fish but passed them both over when two hands poked from the little doorway expectantly as she followed through into their den, she lay the fish down on the small rock in the middle before turning back to Regina who crossed her legs over.

They talked for a little while before Ruby's stomach growled which was followed by a few giggles as Regina shuffled closer to the small rock mimicked by Ruby who was fascinated by what came next as she looked down intently at the hand Regina held out her hand as a small burst of fire sparked up in her palm and she held it over the dead fish.

The brown-haired girl watched with wide eyes as the small flame washed over the flesh of the fish soon causing it to sizzle and crisp as the smell of cooking could soon be found wafting from the small den.

She kept it over the two fish until they were fully cooked before pulling back and closing her hand extinguishing them flame before pushing one over to her friend who carefully picked it up minding the hotness and smiling her thanks at her. Regina smiled back before hissing a little as the pain that had been bothering her all day suddenly flared up again but made no sound to alert the other girl who was eating oblivious.

"How does that work?" She asked after swallowing a mouthful of her fish.

"What"

She nudged her hands at Regina's "That fire thing… how do you do it?"

The other little girl looked down to her hands and wiggled her fingers for a few seconds before looking back up to her, "I don't know… it just happens"

Ruby narrowed her eyes in confusion to her explanation. "So, it just happens"

She looked at her hand for a moment before stretching it out and waited for something to happen. A few minutes later and still waiting she pulled her hand back in disappointment.

"You said it just happens."

Regina lifted her head to see the slight accusing stare before shrugging. "It does… for me. But not everyone can do it… Mal told me that not everyone has magic, those that do are special."

"Mal"

"It's not her real name but it's to long for me to say properly, plus it's not as cool as mine so" She trailed off shrugging again. Ruby nodded at that grinning.

"Does she have magic"?

Regina nodded. "Yep… but it's a lot stronger than mine" That part she hated admitting though it was true. As Ruby looked at her, eyes wide with intrigue.

"She's really good with fire especially. She can make shapes and all sorts." The black-haired girl spoke excitedly remembering the huge bonfire she watched outdoors once when it was some sort of holiday that was special to the older woman and so sat back and looked on at the fire shaped pictures.

"They sound like fun" She nodded again.

"How come you live so far up the mountain?"

Regina paused not knowing what to say so ended up shrugging again. She had asked this question to Maleficent once but found the answer to be non-explanative as the blonde had turned to her and said it was easier to look down and cast both her judgment and disdain for them if she were at a higher angle. Plus that and they were all lazy so she wouldn't be bothered by them as they could never make it that far up to do so, she never questioned further after that.

"Just where she's always lived I guess." Ruby nodded and left it at that.

Once they finished their food they spent a little longer in their self – made den before crawling back out to resume play, which saw them at the end of the afternoon – coming evening with dirt caked water drenched clothes as they stomped back into the middle of the forest as they prepared to say their goodbyes.

"See you tomorrow" Regina looked at the hopeful look in the other girl's eyes and smiled nodding. Even though they had been friends for days now, and played constantly, it still didn't seem to dawn on the brunette that she had a true friend, as she smiled and launched over to her giving her a big hug before pulling back.

"See you tomorrow then"

They started to split apart as Regina moved away, "After my lessons tomorrow"

They both waved before turning and running back to their respective homes. As she climbed Regina had learnt – thanks to her lessons that she could get halfway up and smoke jump the rest of the way coming to a stop just outside the gates. It saved her having to use her legs and energy so that was what she did as she appeared just at the edge where the little opening was.

She winced though as the cloud vanished and reached up to rub her back that had ached all day, in fact all her body had hurt and she very much tempted the idea of staying in bed. But she had made Ruby a promise and didn't want to let her down despite her protesting body.

Dragging her weary body through the gate she slowly made her way through the patch of trees that could have been called a wood before pushing on the door and sliding her way inside. She moved to the middle before looking to the large side doors that led into the hall, for some reason the idea of food didn't appeal to her like it normally did and so carried on walking up to her room.

Once she reached her chamber she shut her door and threw herself on her bed groaning when her body hit the mattress and regretting her decision as the rush of heat washed over her and she curled into a ball in an effort to try to dim the pain. She rolled over and faced the wall – her head throbbing as she closed her eyes in a vain attempt to try to sleep, a small whimper escaping her throat as she did.

She must have fallen asleep, as hard as that seemed given her tossing and turning most time when a dip on the bed caused her to roll over a little and look up bleary eyed as she blinked a few times to see someone sitting just at her side. When she didn't appear for dinner Maleficent started to think. She wasn't all that worried but something – a small sense was telling her that Regina needed her help and so after dismissing the young servers offer of going to find the younger girl, she rose from her chair and began her trip to her chambers.

On knocking and getting no response she opened the door and knew then what it was. The reason the younger girl had been absent, she looked on over the slightly fidgeting form of the girl before taking a few steps and coming to the side of her bed, there she could hear the slight mumbling and tiny whimper's from her throat. Carefully she sat down and eyed her semi sleeping state knowing that in mere hours it was all she would be getting.

"Mal"

The blonde sucked in a breath through her teeth at the nickname she hated but let it slide given as she replied with a small smile and nod of her head.

"It's me… was just seeing if you were ok."

Regina turned over and let out a groan. "I don't feel well."

The older woman let her gaze roam over her body, that much was clear from the sweat soaked clothes she wore and the slight shiver she let out. From any normal eye it looked like she was coming down with a fever but she knew better and so with a flick of her hand, conjured a cloth before – in a moment of Motherly tenderness leaned over and wiped her head.

"Don't worry; I'm here to help you."

The younger girl frowned but didn't make a move to stop her; she seemed to enjoy the small snippet of affection from the icy Fae before closing her eyes as another wave of fire raced through her body.

"What's happening?"

Once she had finished removing the moisture she pulled the cloth away and looked down at her face. The expression she could see in her eyes differed from fear to confusion to pain and longing…the longing, she knew was from her other half trying to break free and finally having its chance.

"Something that will make everything you have been feeling become clear."

She frowned again at the cryptic response but tensed at the pain as she closed her eyes once more trying to will it away. Maleficent sat back up straighter wondering just what time it actually was and when it will happen before shushing her pained whimper's lulling her to try to rest as Regina fell into a fretted slumber.

Standing once she was sure she was asleep. The older woman made her way back to the door and quietly slipped outside before moving on her way to find Ingrid who she locates on the second floor. The older woman bows as she sees the Dark witch and looks up when she stops.

"Mistress"

"I'll be staying with Regina tonight." Ingrid blinks silently but nods all the same. "Is there anything I can bring for either of you?"

The witch pauses in thought before shaking her head, whatever she needs she can conjure it really was so the help didn't fly into a panic if they didn't find her in her room that she told her before turning and making her way back to the sleeping girls room. At the other end she hears the other woman speak and looks over her shoulder to see the slight questioning look on her face.

"If I may be so bold as to ask…" She doesn't finish. She doesn't need to as Maleficent smiles tightly before replying.

"It's time"

She returns to the chambers to find the covers had been thrown from her body and the younger girl tossing as her body had become encased with sweat once more. The blonde knew it was getting worse and so with a flick of her wrist a chair appears at the side of her bed as she settles herself down never taking her eyes from the twisting form in front of her.

_Something was trying to break free that much she was sure. As she slept Regina were pulled into what she could only think of as the weirdest dream she had ever been in but somehow it all felt too real. For starters she was far too tall, it was as if she was at least twenty feet tall and looking out over everything. She could see far better than she had ever been able to before and it went on for miles._

_She was stronger to. Her body far more powerful and in better physical state than she had ever felt. It was like she was invincible – nothing could touch or hurt her, she gazed around before something pulled at her, something inside that was telling her to let go… it sounded like a voice calling, instructing… guiding. Somehow she didn't feel scared she wanted to allow it to take over._

_It called – telling her to let it take over… to allow it to fully achieve the greatness they were meant to have. She didn't know what it meant but she felt herself giving in…_

_As she slowly relinquished control over her own body, and feeling no fear in doing so the more she let go the more she felt liberated, free… but also pain._

_The pain had come back in two-fold and it hit with a vengeance. She doubled over in agony as the fire burst and spread like wildfire razing her bones and muscles as she fought to stay upright but found it too painful as she sank to her knees. She wanted it to stop, she silently pleaded with it to stop as the voice inside spoke once more._

'_Just give in'_

_Wasn't she already doing so? The pain intensified and she screamed out as it felt like her body was breaking. Curling up she tried hard to get her breath as it replied._

'_Not enough… you have to let go completely, allow yourself to be free… for us to be free'_

_More pain as her leg buckled and in the madness that was her mind which was also feeling like it had split in two. She held onto her head and cried out with as much as her voice would allow her._

'_Anything! Just make it stop'_

'_Do you consent?'_

_What? Why was it asking her that at a time like this? She frowned gasping through her pain as it urged her to reply. It was more serious sounding and hurried as it spoke again._

'_Do you consent?'_

'_What do you mean?'_

'_You have to consent… you need to otherwise I can't help…say it'_

_She remained silent as she thought about its words_

'_Say it'_

'_Say it Regina'_

'_SAY IT'_

_Finally it got too much. Both the pain and the voice as she screamed._

'_Yes! I consent'_

Maleficent was woken by the sound of an ear-piercing scream. She bolted upright in her chair from where she had fallen asleep to see the thrashing body in the bed, her eyes widened as she gazed to the younger girl who let out another scream again and stood.

"Regina!"

Nothing as the raven haired girl cried out in agony. The blonde took steps towards the bed but was stopped as the next thing that happened was the small body flinging itself out of the bed and on to the floor. She looked down to the writhing figure as Regina, now fully awake tried to lift herself up but could not as her arms felt like lead and burned too much. Instead she managed to lift her head slightly and look at the blonde overhead.

"What's happening to me?"

Maleficent bent down next to her and brushed her hair from her face. "I should have prepared you more for this…I'm sorry."

Regina could see the sympathy etched on her face and in her eyes as she struggled to breathe. None of this was making sense. She had never felt anything like this before and the blonde wasn't helping. Another bout of pain hit her like a tree forcing her to the floor again as she screamed once more. The door burst open causing the blonde to whip around as two male helpers threw themselves into the room.

"Mistress what is?-"

"GET OUT!" She roared and flung them from the room as they went flying back out the door slamming shut behind leaving the pair alone once more. A tugging on her dress made her look back to the younger girl who had her dress in a fierce grip.

"What's causing this?"

She knelt closer to her mindful of her thrashing body as she got ready to tell the younger girl finally about who she really was. "… You know that I can change my forms into that of a dragon don't you?"

Trying as hard as she could to listen and not scream again. She nodded but didn't see what that had to do with anything as she fought to keep her arms up but was failing. A hand touched her shoulder and she forced her eyes open

"Well… that is what is happening now… to you,"

Confusion added to the pain as Regina looked at her, was she hearing her right? Did she just hear that Maleficent said she was changing into a dragon or did the pain finally get too much for her? She stared up at the blonde who was biting her lower lip and though her sheer hurt managed to let out a breathy laugh.

"..What?"

"It's true… I was hoping-"

She were cut off by another sharp cry of pain as the younger girl flung herself onto her stomach her body shaking. The Faerie pulled her closer ignoring the struggling body as she held her to her chest. She may not have known fully what to do, she had never come across another like her before and so was completely out of her depth but she couldn't stand the agonized cries and so with her magic, she tried her best to stem the transition into something less painful.

It seemed to be working some as the loud screams slowly dimmed to painful cries and whimpers as the blonde clutched her tightly, eventually she stopped as Maleficent kept a hold of her, soon she braved it enough to pull away slightly and look down at the concealed girl who was kept tight to her but shouldn't have given an inch as two seconds later she was pushed away forcefully as loud cracking's could be heard followed by more screams.

The older witch lifted herself to her elbows – an entirely undignified state for a Faerie such as her but at that moment she could care less as she watched the thrashing return fiercely but this time it was truly happening. She could hear the sound of bones meshing and moulding, breaking to fit the change. Her clothes had completely shred, ripped from her back as the beginning of wings started to form from her olive toned flesh. Outlining the strong muscle and spanning as they emerged.

The chair that was in the middle now destroyed, smashed in the wake of the emerging creature that seemed to be trying so hard to push through but seemed stuck at the same time. The blonde looked on fear, for the first time overtaking all other emotion. Something was wrong, she could sense it and as if confirming she could see Regina try to fight it as she struggled literally with her inner self.

Getting to her knees she crossed the space between them until she was close enough to reach out and pull her up to her knees as she drew her head up pushing back the thick, black hair and to her face as she looked deep into the now vivid, yellow eyes of the creature that was fighting to free itself.

"Regina…You have to stop fighting."

The younger girl shook her head before bowing it as another crack signaled her legs breaking. The blonde looked to the once human legs now contorting and growing scales before looking back to her.

"Regina please… it will only hurt more if you resist" She could feel the heat pouring from her and her arms rippling as she let go and back off just as they too started their painful change. Having no energy the girl fell to the floor again tears falling fast as her arms gave out still twisting as her spine flexed and grew as her tail was next to make its appearance slowly growing.

"REGINA!"

Two set of eyes met in that one split second of complete nothingness as Maleficent tried to express what her words couldn't get through. Through her labored breaths she nodded as best she could, her fingers turned talons clawing at the stone floor as she did her best to do what the older woman asked. Teeth elongating as the blonde Faerie slowly stood to her feet as before her very eyes the once little girl was now gone, and it's her place stood a small, all black dragon.

Silence reigned as neither one moved. The blonde for fear of startling the down creature and Regina… or was it the dragon? Seemingly not yet compliant to reality, eventually the black creature was the first to move as she very gently lifted her head and took a look around the room – eyes foggy and head wobbly until they came to a stop at the only other presence in the room.

The older woman laughed a little as it seemed she had scared the dragon somewhat by the little jerk it gave as she eyed it carefully as it than tried to stand up, like a new-born fowl the black reptile very carefully pushed off from the floor with her shaky legs, stumbling a little but managing to pull itself upright. Its small but powerful slim wings tucked in as it got used to its body.

Maleficent laughed out loud as it did a full circle in a bid to get a proper look at its body before turning back to her, they eyed each other for a moment before the blonde felt brave.

"Regina?"

The dragon cocked its head to the side on hearing her speak but made no move to try to respond. She wasn't even sure if it could as she watched it… she bit her lip before slowly bending down as it bristled at her change in posture standing a little on guard.

"It's alright my dear; it's just me… only me." She held out her hand as Regina dragon eyed it with some thought before eventually deciding that it was worth inspection. Blue eyes lit up as the small dragon scuttled closer to her pulling back every so often before finally reaching her hand, she let it sniff the limb getting used to her as it was vital that she knew who she was before it slowly made its way around her body.

She let her sniff all around her, her clothes, her leg, her other hand lifting a little to sniff her hair before coming back to face her. Its yellow eyes as deep as they flicked over her face. The older witch stayed impassive as she looked back. The black dragon opened its mouth to reveal two rows of sharp-pointed teeth but it wasn't in a threatening way as it moved closer.

She looked down and smiled genuinely as she laid her head on the blonde's knee. Finally having determined who she was as the Faerie lifted her hand and placed it on her head.

"I know it's all disorienting" The yellow eyes lifted up to meet hers, "It's confusing and frightening and I will help,"

She promised as the dragon let out a cross between a whine and purr before trying to tuck itself closer to her dress making her smirk.

"I was wondering when I was going to meet you." A flick of her hand had them off the floor and onto the bed making the creature startle for a moment but she soon got her soothed again as she lay her head back on her knee.

That was how they stayed for most of the night as very soon – lulled by the relaxing touch of her hand, the dragon closed her eyes and was off to sleep as Maleficent looked down on noticing and paused in her ministrations for a moment. It was only the start from here on – both had a long journey to take and she needed the girl to be able to handle it if she were to make it any easier for her.

She gazed at the shininess of her scales and the deep inkiness of her skin color. But this was it… she was no longer alone. Thought she couldn't hear it in the silence of the room only two words were whispered before the blonde to, fell to slumber.

"Welcome home."


End file.
